Holiday pet hazards don’t change much from year to year, which can make communicating them to veterinary clients feel boring and overdone. If you’re tired of the same old handouts, newsletters, and social media posts about avoiding chocolate and keeping pets away from the front door when trick-or-treaters approach, it’s time to think about switching things up. 

Here are five creative, engaging ways to educate pet owners about Halloween hazards while showcasing your team’s personality and keeping in the spirit of the spookiest season.

 

1. Share scary pet stories

Give your Halloween pet safety message a cinematic twist by recreating cautionary patient tales (real or theoretical) into a “scary stories” social media series. Short-form, reel-style videos grab viewers’ attention, show off your team’s creative talents, and make clients more likely to remember your advice.

Try filming 30- to 60-second clips using a stuffed animal or cooperative staff pet, some dramatic uplighting (i.e., the classic flashlight), and your team’s best campfire storyteller voices. “It was a dark and stormy night when Max the Labrador raided the candy bowl…”

 

2. Play a trick-or-treat game

Instead of listing dangers, turn Halloween pet safety into an interactive game that clients can play on social media or in your clinic’s lobby. Present a scenario, and then ask, “Trick or Treat?” Treat means it’s safe, and trick means it’s a hazard.

For example: Your dog eats a fun-sized box of raisins. Trick or Treat? Clients can swipe or vote online, or flip a notecard on a bulletin board display in the lobby to reveal the answer along with a short explanation or tip.

This format invites engagement with topics that may otherwise seem dull. You can mix and match easier and more thought-provoking questions to get people thinking about their pet’s well-being. Online, ensure your posts are shareable, so your messaging can reach beyond your current client base.

 

3. Make a haunted house of hazards

Small dog with their head in a jack-o-lantern treat bucket

For a more immersive experience, set up a “Haunted House of Halloween Pet Hazards” display in your entrance vestibule, lobby, or client-access hallways. Have each station represent a different area in the home, such as the kitchen or front porch, highlighting common Halloween pet hazards.

Set the scene with stuffed animals sticking their heads in pumpkin-shaped candy buckets, chewing on decorations and cords, brushing up against a lit candle, or running through an open front door or gate. For an added educational boost, post QR codes that link to blog posts on related topics, such as toxic foods and microchipping.

 

4. Hide Halloween pet safety tips in go-home bags

If your team sends home goodie bags for new clients, puppies and kittens, or dental patients, consider varying the bag contents throughout October. Attach a small tag with a festive design and a QR code linking to a Halloween pet safety blog or social post, or create a downloadable tip sheet.

You can also include mini “quick tips” cards that feature top hazards, safe treats, and costume tips to help clients celebrate Halloween safely. Have them printed professionally as cards or magnets so clients can easily refer back to them. 

 

5. Bust Halloween myths or host a Q&A

If you want to stick to traditional client education and outreach methods, consider switching up your content to a myth-busters or FAQs format. Changing the structure of posts keeps them from feeling stale and makes them more relatable. Start each myth or question with a short, punchy line, then follow with a concise explanation and clear takeaway for how to avoid the associated hazard. 

If you have a large enough social following, consider asking one of your veterinarians or credentialed technicians to go live and answer pet owner questions about Halloween pet safety or other seasonal hazards on the horizon. Or, film short-form videos addressing single topics and post them weekly throughout the month. 

 

Frightfully effective client education

Halloween pet safety doesn’t have to feel dull or repetitive. Get your team’s creative juices flowing by challenging them to brainstorm a list of client education ideas during a team meeting, or try some of the fun ideas listed above. 

For help with creative newsletter content, social media posts, or blogs, Rumpus Writing and Editing has your back. Contact us to discover how our writing team can breathe new life into your educational materials, digital marketing, and client engagement strategy.