Overview
- With 17.2 million UK pet‑owning households in 2024, welfare groups are issuing seasonal guidance ahead of Halloween.
- Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, forcing a pet into clothing that causes distress or harm can be treated as cruelty with fines, imprisonment or bans on ownership.
- The legislation covers vertebrate animals, including dogs, cats, rabbits, rodents, horses, reptiles, birds and amphibians.
- Reported risks include restricted vision, hearing or breathing, snagging or entanglement, stress from noisy fabrics, and overheating in cats that cannot groom to cool.
- Cat Protection and veterinary experts say most cats do not tolerate clothing, urge owners to watch for stress signals, and recommend low‑impact alternatives such as themed collars or toys, plus practical steps like early dog walks, keeping pets away from busy doors and securing sweets out of reach.