Halloween is for kids! The last decade, pet parents have started including our pets in Halloween festivities and making it a time to dress them up too. There are pet parades and pet costume contests and Halloween parties for pets. All are good fun when safety precautions are taken.

On the other hand, when you have a house and yard full of pets who are freaked out by lots of kids in funny clothes running and squealing, ringing doorbells and yelling Trick or Treat!. . . it can be a handful. The biggest worry is that one of them will get loose and run out the open door and into the street.

The cats usually take to hiding under a bed. They get locked into one of the bedrooms with litter box, food and water, and a radio on. The dogs go in their crates in a room away from the opening and shutting door that has a TV on the channel with a news or talk show. They know there’s no one in the room but they hear mostly calm talking.  The horses go into their stable with doors shut to muffle noise. One of the adults chaperones the kids who go trick or treating, one patrols the yard and checks on the cats and dogs when barking or howling occurs, one of the older kids answers the door. It’s going to be a busy night!