Animal expert shares must-read Halloween tips for Daventry residents

Halloween is rooted in folk tradition, and it is important to celebrate in a way which friendly for animals.

Here, Mollie Kerr—animal advocate and Kelp Social CEO & Founder shares key tips for an animal-friendly Halloween.

Mollie said: “I love Halloween: watching spooky films and seeing everyone dressed up! There’s nothing better than putting on Monster House and making a big bowl of popcorn, but I always worry about my cat.

"He gets nervous with people at the door and fireworks going off - so to stop him getting quite so anxious, I set up some Pet Remedy diffusers a few days before. Also, it’s easy to get carried away and want to put him in an adorable costume, but I had to admit to myself that, despite his cuteness, he would be very uncomfortable.

"Although I love the spooky season, for him it is just another day but with more noise. Another thing I enjoy about Halloween is the tradition of pumpkin carving, but it's sad that so many pumpkins are carved and thrown away that could be donated to zoos and sanctuaries… or better, eaten!”

Pumpkins -

The sustainability charity Hubbub estimates that every year 24 million pumpkins bought around Halloween are not eaten at all. When you are finished with the outside of the pumpkin–be sure to clean it of any wax, glitter or paint– you can chop it up and put it in your food waste bin. If you put a pumpkin on your own compost, ensure that the compost is completely covered as pumpkin is dangerous for some wildlife. Forestry England says: “We see many posts on social media encouraging people to leave pumpkins in the woods for wildlife to eat, but please do not do this. [...] Feeding pumpkins, or any other food in the forest, to birds, foxes, badgers, deer, and boar can make them unwell and can spread disease.”Many animal sanctuaries will accept uncarved pumpkins to use as food for the animals.

Loud noises -

If you’ve put a pumpkin or squash out on the front porch, you’ll likely be getting lots of visitors to your front door. If your animals are sensitive to shouts and the bell going off, then set a natural diffuser flowing through the house a few days before: this will ensure they are effective by the time Halloween rolls around. Offering some sweets in a bowl, with a sign saying ‘Please take a few’, will prevent the dog from getting spooked every five minutes.Consider keeping your rabbit or cat inside if there are any fireworks or parties nearby.

Trick or Treating -

Some calmer canines may want to participate in the trick-or-treating fun! When you are walking, take care with wrappers from any tasty treats, as these could cause a choking hazard if picked up by an animal. Make sure your dog is visible, withan up-to-date ID tag.. There may be shrieks of excited children, combined with fireworks, so keep an eye on your pooch and if they seem nervous then take them home.

Costumes and treats -

In the UK, around 350,000 tonnes of used clothes are sent to landfill each year, and when it comes to Halloween costumes they tend to only be used once. When it comes to your pet, the RSPCA advises that we should consider how our pets feel when inflicting a spooky costume on them. A spokesperson said: "It's really important that pet owners think about how dressing up pets can make them feel, as whilst some animals may not mind being dressed up, other pets may find this worrying and even scary."

Make sure that you keep pets away from any sweet treats. Chocolate is toxic for dogs, cats and rabbits as it contains the chemical theobromine which can be fatal. Also watch out for sweet wrappers, lolly sticks and foil.

Kelp Social is a social media platform specifically for animal lovers, providing a unique combination of carefully selected brands and charities, with like-minded bloggers. A new kind of social media, Kelp Social is a compassionate community which offers users the opportunity to make a difference.