Keeping kids visible and pets from escaping on Halloween

Does your dog despise the doorbell? Hate little creatures running up to your front door? The witching hour can cause anxiety for many pets. Here are some ways to keep your pets safe and calm during Trick-or-Treating.

Keep your dog from escaping the house

Hand out candy to trick-or-treaters from your front porch or the end of the driveway. This is a great way to lessen the need to constantly open your front door so your dog or cat can slip out. This also eliminates the need for people to knock on the door or use the doorbell which often causes stress for dogs.

It will be cold this Halloween so sitting outside might not be an option for everybody. If your dog is crate-trained or doesn’t mind being in the crate, that may be the safest way to ensure they can’t wander out the door.

If your pup hates being in a crate, use a baby gate to block access to the front door. You may also keep your dog or cat in a separate room with the door closed.

Some dogs will only feel comfortable if they can be wherever you are. If they want to accompany you to the front door to greet trick-or-treaters or sit on the porch with you (and won’t be afraid of costumes), keep them leashed. Also, make sure their collars are tight enough that they can’t slip them off.

Another option for anxious pets this Halloween is to turn off the porch lights and leave a bucket of candy away from the front door with a sign for Trick-or-Treaters. You can also block off side windows if you have them so your pup doesn’t see approaching trick-or-treaters. Have fun with this option too. Block off your steps with caution tape and a sign that says “man-eating dog inside.” It is Halloween after all.

Keep candy out of reach to avoid pet food poisoning

Make sure you keep your candy bucket out of reach from pets before and after Trick-out-Treating. Chocolate and xylitol are toxic to pets. Check out my list of the most dangerous Halloween candy for pets.

Keeping kids visible during Trick-or-Treating

Visibility is key for keeping children safe while going door to door on Halloween.

One easy way to make sure your children can be seen by other people or drivers on the road is to use a flashlight. This can be tied to their candy bucket or bag to light up where they are walking.

One of my favorite options is to use glow sticks. Kids can wear them as necklaces or bracelets. They can even be put in candy buckets to shine some light as they walk.

Another easy trick is to use reflective tape. You can put a strip on the back of a child’s costume or even on their shoes. Speaking of shoes, make sure they fit well and that laces are tied tightly to avoid tripping.

And drivers...slow down. There is no place worth getting to that is worth a child being hurt.

Tara Lynn is a former WRAL reporter and anchor. She lends her 15-plus years in journalism to tell visual stories through love-filled photography for families of all kinds. The mother of three little humans and one senior rescue dog believes in celebrating magic in the little things, the big loves, and the imperfect moments that make the most remarkable memories. Her vision is to help families celebrate and share their love through photography and curated album artwork that become timeless keepsakes connecting multiple generations...because moments often pass in the blink of an eye, and the photographs we take connect us to our memories and our great loves, forever.

You can find Tara Lynn on Instagram at @TaraLynn_andCo and TaraLynnAndCo.com. Learn more about her photography at TaraLynnAndCoPhoto.com.