When it comes to Halloween safety, the first thing that comes to mind is the safety of our children. Often we overlook another important family member, our pets! HomeAgain came up with various tips for their October newsletter on how to keep your beloved pets safe this Halloween.

1. Keep the candy for the kids.
Although chocolate is a well known pet-safety hazard, artificial sweeteners and other candy ingredients are also dangerous for your pet. If you want to give your cat or dog Halloween treats, ones from the pet store are just the trick.

2. Watch for escape artists.
On Halloween night, you’ll probably be opening your door for trick-or-treaters every few minutes. Make sure to check that your dog or cat stays inside after each visit.

3. Make sure your pets are clearly tagged.
It’s easy for an animal to escape on Halloween night, so make certain that your pet is wearing a collar with contact information on it. Brighter colors are easier to see! Don’t have a collar tag? Buy one, now!

4. Consider your pet’s temperament.
If your animals are frightened of strangers, loud noises, or children, keep them in an area of the house that’s away from the front door. The sights, colors, and sounds of Halloween can be stressful for even the calmest pets.

5. Keep your pets close to home, particularly the black cats.
Unfortunately, Halloween brings out the dark side of some people who may use the holiday as an excuse to torment or otherwise injure an animal they find lose on the street. So keep your cats well feed with some tasty canned cat food and keep them inside.

6. Think about the children.
Even if your pets are good with children, not all children are good with pets. It may be a good idea to keep your pets away from a child who could startle them into an aggressive or defensive attack.

7. Avoid costume drama.
Make sure you choose a Halloween costume that’s safe for pets. Avoid strangulation hazards and parts that affect vision or movement. If your dachshund looks completely miserable dressed up as a hot dog, then let him out as soon as you’ve taken a few photos.

8. Be careful with the decorations.
A Jack O’Lantern with a candle or glow stick in it may be beautiful for you, but it’s also fascinating for your pet. Reduce the risk of singed whiskers or poisoned bellies by keeping dangerous decorations out of your pets’ reach.

9. Minimize stress while you’re away.
If you plan to go out for a party or other Halloween fun, leave the radio or television on. The noise can mask loud noises your pets hear from the outside festivities.

10. Remember to keep it fun.
Whatever you do, don’t let worrying about pet safety ruin the evening. With a few simple precautions, there’s no reason why you and your pets can’t have a boo-tiful holiday full of frightful, and pet-safe, fun.

Green Halloween® is a nationwide non-profit initiative started by mother-daughter team Corey Colwell-Lipson and Lynn Colwell. In 2010, Green Halloween became a program of EcoMom® Alliance and has events in cities across the U.S.

October is creeping closer and closer and I know households are prepping for another exciting year of Halloween. What do people think of when it comes to Halloween? I bet it’s the color orange, pumpkins, loads of candy and a howling night of fun where kids roam the streets in their favorite costumes of ghosts, witches and monsters! What most people don’t take into consideration is the fact that safety is a huge part of Halloween as well. Sure you can have a wonderful time, but be mindful of everyone’s safety as well! Below are some safety tips that are eco-friendly (no brainer coming from Green Halloween) for Halloween this year.

General Safety Tips:

1. Hand-powered flashlights: Straight from the Green Halloween marketplace. These adorable animal-shaped flashlights are an absolute must when you head out to trick-or-treat with your loved ones. No batteries are necessary so it’s environmentally friendly. Plus you have a light to shine on dark places when necessary!
2. Drivers driving on the night of Halloween should pay more attention to the roads than normal. This is a night where kids roam the streets freely. Even though they are supervised, still pay extra care and drive slowly in neighborhood streets.
3. It’s important to have fun but it’s even more important to know where your kids are. Set a curfew if your older kids are trick-or-treating with a group of friends. Stay connected with them via phones throughout the night. If they do not have cellphones, give them sufficient amount of change so they can use public phones to call home if needed.
4. Set a designated area for your kids to trick-or-treat if you are not going with them. Go over the route before Halloween so they know where they can go and where they cannot go.
5. Tell your children about the basic rules of obeying traffic. Always walk on sidewalks, even if the streets are empty of cars. Make note to take heed of the roads, and always always double check at crossroads and intersections for incoming traffic.
6. Accompany your children while trick-or-treating. If you cannot make it, make other arrangements (older siblings, guardians, neighbors that you know) so your children can go along with adults they are familiar with.
7. Wear bright-colored or light-reflective costumes so you are easily spotted.
8. Make sure costumes are flame retardant.
9. Avoid masks that obstruct vision.
10. If there is no sidewalk, always walk on the left side of the road.
11. Avoid houses with no lights on.

Trick-or-Treating/Candy Safety Tips:

1. Always trick-or-treat at the front door. If children are unsupervised, make sure to tell them to not enter a stranger’s house for candy.
2. Tell your kids to bring all the candy they collected home so you, the parent, can inspect them before consumption. Also, inform them not to accept any candy that are not in wrappers.
3. Feed your kids a hearty and healthy meal prior to trick-or-treating activities so they won’t be tempted to eat the candy before checking for tampering. Plus they’ll need the energy!
4. When in doubt, throw it out!
5. Teach your children to eat 2-3 pieces of candy at a time in order to prevent tummy aches.

For more ideas and information regarding safety on Halloween, please click here for a very handy and comprehensive list of links and resources! If you have tips that you feel are missing from the list, please let us know by email or comments via this post. We’re eager to hear new ideas from our readers for a safe and fun Halloween!

Green Halloween® is a nationwide non-profit initiative started by mother-daughter team Corey Colwell-Lipson and Lynn Colwell. In 2010, Green Halloween became a program of EcoMom® Alliance and has events in cities across the U.S.