Walking your dog in the dark: staying safe and seen

PDSA suggests walking your dog in daylight where you can. When you can't, plan a route with wide pavements and street lights, and stick to places you know well. Somewhere that's easy in summer, like a field edge or a towpath, can be hard to see in the dark.

• For your dog: Dogs Trust suggests a coat with high-visibility reflective features, a flashing collar or a light attachment. An LED collar or tag, or a hi-vis lead, works too.
• For you: the Highway Code says reflective materials, such as armbands, sashes, jackets and footwear, can be seen by drivers using headlights up to three times as far away as non-reflective ones.
• A good torch, so you can see where you're going and spot hazards like broken glass, and so drivers can see you.

• Rule 56: "Do not let a dog out on the road on its own. Keep it on a short lead when walking on the pavement, road or path shared with cyclists or horse riders."
• Rule 2: if there's no pavement, keep to the right-hand side of the road so you can see oncoming traffic, and keep your dog on the side away from the cars.
• On some roads, your council has made it an offence to have a dog off the lead at all (section 27 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, in England, Wales and Scotland). Look out for signs.

• Keep your dog on a short, strong lead attached to a well-fitting collar or harness. PDSA's advice is to let them off only in securely fenced areas.
• Teach “sit” and “wait” before crossing, then a “walk” cue once it's safe, as PDSA suggests.
• Check the lead, collar and harness before the winter: Dogs Trust points out that wet weather can rust metal clips, and suggests doing up clips indoors before you set off.
• Leave the headphones at home, so you can hear what's coming.

• Antifreeze and de-icer: they contain ethylene glycol, which tastes sweet to dogs and cats and is extremely toxic. PDSA says symptoms can start within an hour and dogs have a better chance if treatment starts within the first 12 hours, so call your vet straight away if you think your dog has licked some, without waiting for symptoms. Keep it out of reach and clean up spills.
• Grit and salt: wipe your dog's legs, feet and belly after walks on gritted roads, as grit and damp can irritate their skin, and so they don't lick it off.
• Frozen ponds and lakes: keep your dog on the lead near them, as the ice may not take their weight. If your dog falls through, Dogs Trust's advice is not to go in after them: encourage them to swim back to you if you can, and call the emergency services.
• Cold: shorter-haired breeds, puppies and older dogs may need a coat when it gets chilly, and a reflective one helps you be seen too.

A dog is harder to spot at night, and a frightened dog can run a long way. Dogs Trust's advice is to make sure your dog is wearing a collar and ID tag, that they're microchipped, and that your details on the microchip database are up to date. Have a recent photo on your phone, and if they do go missing, start our lost dog checklist straight away.

A microchip can only be read with a scanner, usually at a vet, a rescue or the council's dog warden, which can mean waiting until morning. A QR code dog tag lets whoever finds your dog reach you in seconds, at any time of night, without needing your phone number on the tag.

Cats Protection says there's an increased risk of cats being hit by cars at night, and that cats hunt most at dawn and dusk. It recommends keeping your cat in at night, and PDSA suggests feeding your cat as it gets dark, so they're in the habit of coming home. If your cat wears a collar, choose a reflective quick-release one.

Driving on dark evenings? If you ever hit a dog or cat, here's what to do: the law is different for each.