Hosting a Halloween Party for Pets
Pet Party Ideas for Halloween, Pet Halloween Costume Ideas & More!
Oct 5, 2008
Dog lovers and other animal lovers who are seeking a unique and fun way to join together with other dog owners and animal lovers may want to consider hosting a Halloween party for pets and their owners.
Host a Pet Party this Halloween & Party for a Good Cause
Many pet lovers are hosting a Halloween party for pets and their owners this spooky Halloween season, providing the perfect opportunity to show off a pet's cute or unique Halloween costume. And in addition to having a great time with other pets and their owners, a pet Halloween party can support a great cause that will help homeless pets or other animals in need.
"This year, our neighborhood is hosting a pet Halloween party and we're charging admission - a cover charge, with the proceeds to benefit a local animal rescue organization," explained Boston area resident Marion Webber.
Webber added, "We've also spoken to a few pet stores, dog sitting companies and dog groomer businesses in our community and they were kind enough to donate gift cards, grooming gift certificates, dog walking gift certificates, doggy daycare gift certificates, dog bakery gift certificates and other items that we're going to raffle off, and again, all the proceeds will benefit homeless and abused and neglected pets."
A Halloween party for pets and their owners is also a great way for animal rescue organizations and animal shelters to raise funds and to gain visibility within the community.
Food for a Halloween Pet Party
Like any good party, food is a big part of the party appeal. Organizers of a smaller invitation-only pet Halloween party can host a potluck-style party, where guests are encouraged to bring in a human food dish and a pet food dish. And a few recipes will appeal to both human party-goers and their pets.
Party planners can send out a list of pet-friendly recipes, which can then be claimed by guests as they RSVP to the Halloween pet party.
For a larger pet party this Halloween season, particularly those that are open to the public, contact a couple of local pet bakeries and request sponsorship for the fundraising Halloween-themed pet party. Many pet bakeries will provide a tax-deductible pet-friendly food donation when the event is one that benefits a non-profit organization.
Spookiest Pet Costume Contests, Party Raffles & More
Like proud parents, many dog owners love to socialize and meet other dog owners to discuss their pets. A Halloween party for pets is a great way to provide pet owners with a chance to meet other animal lovers, while supporting a good cause.
Pet party activities can include pet pie eating contests, races and dog trick contests. Get a bunch of small mini pumpkins (not gourds, which can be toxic) or some orange and black Halloween tennis balls and have the owners toss the pumpkins or tennis balls to their dogs for a pumpkin catching contest. Or get out the stop-watch for a timed pumpkin retrieving race.
Dog lovers can also put some of their homemade Halloween-themed dog treats to good use with a Halloween treat hunt. Put down a bit of hay and hide a few treats in the hay. Allow one dog at a time into the treat hunt area to find and eat the treats. The fastest dog wins!
Halloween pet parties provide the perfect opportunity for a costume contest for pets, with winners of the pet costume contest receiving prizes like dog toys, a pet-themed gift basket with homemade dog treats or a pet-related gift certificate.
Crafty pet owners can create their own unique dog costume this Halloween, while less crafty pet owners can visit a local pet store like Petco or PetSmart for a large selection of Halloween costumes for dogs and other pets. Even stores like Target now carry the hugely popular Halloween costumes for pets.
A perfect addition to a pet Halloween party are the World Wildlife Fund's new free pumpkin carving patterns. The free printable pumpkin carving stencils are available for downloading to anyone who's looking for a cute animal-themed Jack-o-Lantern pattern!
A pet Halloween-themed party is a unique event that's sure to appeal to animal lovers and party-lovers alike. Another hint? Consider hosting a Halloween-themed pet birthday party for a furry friend who was born in autumn.
