Chocolate, sugar-free sweets containing xylitol, and raisins are the main Halloween poisons for pets, and open doors give frightened animals a chance to bolt.
For fireworks, pets are brought in before dark, given a den to hide in and never punished for being afraid; severe fear is treatable with a vet's help.
The weeks from late October to early January bring Halloween, Bonfire Night, Diwali and New Year, with sweets in the house, strangers at the door and fireworks after dark. For pets it is the most hazardous and frightening part of the year.
Bags and bowls of sweets are kept out of reach, including the bag a child brings home. A pet that may have eaten any of these is taken to a vet without waiting for signs.
Fresh pumpkin is not poisonous, but a carved one left out for days grows mould that can make a dog ill. Candles inside pumpkins and lanterns are easily knocked over by a tail or a curious cat; battery lights are safer. The liquid in glow sticks tastes bitter and causes drooling and distress, though it is rarely dangerous. Fake cobwebs, string lights and dangling decorations can tangle or be swallowed.
Most animals find being dressed up stressful. A costume that restricts movement, covers the eyes or ears, or has parts that can be chewed off is unsafe. An animal that freezes, flattens its ears, licks its lips or tries to remove the outfit is unhappy and should be left undressed.
Repeated knocking and people in masks unsettle many dogs and give pets a chance to bolt. On Halloween evening pets are settled in a quiet room away from the front door with the radio or television on, and cats are kept indoors from the afternoon. Microchip details and identity tags are checked beforehand, since more pets go missing at this time of year.
Fear of fireworks is common in dogs and cats, and animals hear them far more sharply than people do. Preparation makes a large difference.
A frightened animal is allowed to hide and is not pulled out. Comforting a dog that seeks reassurance does not reinforce its fear; staying calm and carrying on as normal helps most. Pets are never punished for being afraid, taken to a display or left alone in the house if they are known to panic. Dogs are kept on a lead for any late toilet trip, as a bang can make a normally reliable dog run.
An animal that shakes, pants, drools, hides for hours, soils the house or tries to escape has a serious fear that will worsen each year without help. A vet can rule out pain, which makes noise fear worse, prescribe medication for the worst nights and refer the owner to a qualified behaviourist. Treatment by gradually getting the animal used to recorded firework sounds works well but takes months, so it is started in spring or summer.
Animals in outdoor hutches are easily terrified. Hutches are moved into a shed or unused garage, or turned to face a wall and partly covered with blankets while keeping some ventilation, and extra bedding is given for burrowing. Indoor cages and aviaries are covered and moved away from windows.
Hedgehogs and other animals crawl into unlit bonfire heaps. A bonfire is built on the day it is to be lit, or moved to a new spot before lighting, and is lit from one side so that anything inside can escape.
In England and Wales it is an offence to set off fireworks between 11pm and 7am. The limit is extended to midnight on Bonfire Night and to 1am on New Year's Eve, Diwali and Chinese New Year. Fireworks may not be let off in the street or other public places, and shops without a year-round licence may sell them to the public only around those dates. Scotland has stricter rules, and councils there can designate firework control zones.