Listen: pet behaviour for Halloween and firework night

Tonight, as tricker-or-treaters take to the streets in fancy dress, jack-o-lanterns line porches, and costume parties kick off the weekend, most pet owners think there is more to Howl-O-Ween for their furry friends. 

Some eerie research from Blue Cross finds 2 out of 3 pet owners (66%) say their pet hasexhibited spooky behaviour around Halloween. The most ghoulish trait reported by nearly a third (29%) of pet owners is finding their pet barking or growling at nothing visible. About a quarter say they have seen their pet staring intently at empty spaces (24%) hiding under the bed or in a corner (23%) around the holiday. Other strange behaviours include pets being startled at shadows or reflections, sitting completely still as if in shock, refusing to enter a specific room or area, and howling at the night.

About 1 in 5 find their pet reacting to unexplained sounds, smells, or sights (19%) or behaving strangely without explanation (18%) during the spooky season. However, there is another festive addition that begins banging around this time of the year that needs no paranormal explanation, about a third say their pet is terrified of fireworks (31%) causing more than a quarter (28%) to run, hide, or shake.

Aston spoke to Jenny Baxter, animal behaviourist at Blue Cross.

Photo by Berkay Gumustekin on Unsplash