Every holiday season brings viral videos and social media posts of canines in costumes. And while seeing a pet in a costume is adorable — it can also be dangerous. As Halloween draws near, experts are cautioning pet owners about the popular practice.
More than three-quarters of owners plan to put their pet in a costume this year, and more than half plan to take their dog out trick-or-treating, according to a recent survey published by Rover. But these same kitschy costumes could be affecting the physical, and psychological, health of a canine.
“A lot of pet ownership is selfish,” Annie Grossman, owner and co-founder of School for the Dogs, a dog training facility in New York City. “We have pets more because of our enjoyment of having a pet in most cases. It’s not necessarily in the dog’s best interest — and certainly I can’t think of any good reason why a dog would want to be putting on a costume.”
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