Keep Halloween Fun, Not Frightful, for Animals With PETA’s Safety Tips

For Immediate Release:
October 23, 2026

Contact:
Nicole Perreira 202-483-7382

Norfolk, Va. –

Halloween should be spooky fun for humans—not a real-life fright for animals. Ringing doorbells, costumed strangers, candy, candles, and decorations can all pose dangers to or frighten dogs, cats, birds, and other wildlife. So, PETA is sharing simple tips to help keep animals safe and enjoy a happy Halloween:

Skip the fake spiderweb decor. Wildlife such as birds and other small animals can become trapped in synthetic webbing used on bushes, trees, and porches.
Secure cats indoors. Cats—especially black cats—are often targeted by cruel people around Halloween, while frightened animals can bolt into traffic or become lost. Keep them safely inside, away from open doors.
Don’t take dogs trick-or-treating. Costumed strangers, excited children, darkness, and unfamiliar sounds can frighten dogs, causing them to panic or run off.
Create a calm environment. Contain dogs and cats in a quiet room with soothing music or the TV on to muffle the noise of doorbells and parade of trick-or-treaters. Make sure they’re microchipped and wearing identification just in case.
Leave costumes to the humans. Dogs and cats aren’t props, and costumes can cause stress, restrict movement, or present choking and other hazards. A festive bandana or collar may be better tolerated by animals who enjoy them.
Keep candy under wraps. Chocolate and other sweets can be dangerous for dogs and cats, and discarded wrappers can make them sick, too. Store the whole Halloween haul safely out of reach.
Beware of flames and other decorations. Keep animals away from candles, jack-o’-lanterns, electrical cords, glow sticks, and other decorations that can be chewed, swallowed, knocked over, or otherwise cause injuries. Flameless candles offer a safer glow.

“The scariest thing about Halloween shouldn’t be a dog bolting through an open door or a bird tangled in fake cobwebs,” says PETA Senior Vice President Colleen O’Brien. “PETA is calling on everyone to keep animals safe from the holiday’s hidden hazards so the only screams this Halloween are make-believe.”

PETA offers additional tips for an animal-friendly Halloween, including ideas for vegan candy, cruelty-free makeup, and animal-free costumes, at PETA.org.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.