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HALLOWEEN SAFETY
FOR PETS |
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When is comes to Halloween the best way to keep pets safe is to keep them inside the home, not outside in the
yard or with the kids trick-or-treating. Groups of small ghouls and goblins can scare pets
causing them to escape from the yard or break the leash. A pet running loose may fall
victim to possible abuse by misguided individuals.
Leaving your pets outside on
Halloween is not a god idea. There are plenty of tales of malicious people who tease,
injure, steal, torture, even killed peoples pets on Halloween. Keep your cats or dogs
inside for the night if you don't already do it.
If you take your pet trick-or-treating, use a short leash to keep
it from fighting with other animals or biting strangers. Your best bet
is to leave your pet at home where it will be safe.
Confine pets away from the front door in a
separate room. Pets, especially dogs, are easily excitable or threatened by strangers. You
open the door many times during the evening, providing lots of chances for your pet to
slip outside. Confining dogs to a closed room will also reduce the chances of them biting strangers.
As much as your dog
or cat may beg for some of your Halloween candy, always remember that chocolate
can be deadly to
them in any amount. Don't share any candy with
pets, especially chocolate. Tell your children not to share their candy with the family
pet. Chocolate is toxic for animals and can cause vomiting, restlessness, heart disturbances,
and even death. If you suspect your pet has eaten chocolate or other candy that causes
discomfort, consult your veterinarian immediately. Candy wrappers, such
as tin foil, can get stuck in your pets digestive tract and make them ill or cause death.
There are plenty of recipes for making home made dog and cat treats, you can always make them
on a Halloween note.
Take extra precautions if you own a black cat by confining it in
your house several days before Halloween. This will reduce the chances of someone
abducting your black cat. The mythology about black cats and witches can lead people to do
harmful things to them. Even kids who mean no harm may yell at or chase a black cat,
scaring the cat much more than the cat scares them.
 Your companion animal may look very
cute in a costume, but be wary of pet costumes that use rubber bands to hold the costume
in place. If you mistakenly leave rubber bands on your pet after the costume comes off,
they can quickly burrow into the animal's skin.
When
buying a Halloween costume for your pet its very important to select the size that matches
your pet, or a pet of similar size of your pet's breed. Not just for comfort, but for safety as well.
Make sure your cat or dog wears a current
animal license tag on its collar. If your pet it lost, it is 10 times more likely to be
returned to you if your pet is wearing a license tag. Most veterinarians sell license
tags. As with any pet toy or
costume, it is
recommended that your pet not be left with or in any costume unattended. For more information about pet
costumes
Click Here
If you work in a pet
store, remember that this is the time of year that can be deadly for black cats. Some sick
people who play at being what they'll call a Satanist will buy them to "sacrifice"
If you can, don't take any black cats or sell them during October.
Dogs can have lethal
tails, wagging them over the place. Don't leave any lighted candles or Jack-O-Lanterns where
they could be knocked over by a swinging tail or by a curious cat. Not only could your pet
start a fire but they could severely burn themselves in the process.
If you are going to
dress your pet in a costume, keep in mind that unless the dog or cat is extremely receptive to
this kind of thing, you could be causing it discomfort and
emotional stress. Some animals don't mind at
all, while others do not want to be bothered with this kind of thing
or become very frightened. They'll be under enough
stress with the festivities going on outside and people at the door constantly, so don't cause
them any more nervousness than you have to. You may love to dress in costume, but then, you
aren't a dog or a cat.
Masks on
your cat or dog may sound cute, but it's best to forget
adding that to a pet costume. Animals depend on their
vision to let them know what's going on and even the
nicest dog can get snippy if he can't see what's around
him. If you do decide to "torture" your
pet with a mask, make sure that the eye holes are big enough for them to see
peripherally.
If you are having a
indoor party, make sure that you put your dog or cat in a room where they won't be disturbed.
Unless your pet is ultra friendly and doesn't mind loud noises, music and lots of people you
should keep them separate for the night. Also, be careful your cat or dog doesn't dart out
through the open door as you hand out candy. Best bet is to just put them in a room with
some food and water for the night and check on them once in a while to let them know
everything is fine.
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 ASPCA
- Halloween can be a traumatic and even
a dangerous time for your pets. The American
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals offers some tips to protect your pet
on Halloween: Don't leave your pet out in
the yard on Halloween. There are plenty of
stories of vicious pranksters who have
teased, injured, stolen and even killed pets
on this night.
Trick-or-treat candies are not for pets.
Chocolate is poisonous to a lot of animals, and tin foil and cellophane candy wrappers can
be hazardous if swallowed.
Be careful of pets around a lit pumpkin. Pets
may knock it over and cause a fire. Curious kittens especially run the risk of getting
burned. Don't dress the dog or cat in costume unless you
know he loves it. Otherwise, it puts a lot of stress on the animal. If you do dress up your pet, make sure the
costume isn't annoying or unsafe -- it should not constrict her movement, hearing or
ability to breathe or bark. Be careful not to obstruct his vision. Even the sweetest
animal can get snappy when she can't see what's going on around her.
All but the most social dogs should be kept in a
separate room during trick-or-treat visiting hours. Too many strangers in strange garb can
be scary for a dog. Be careful your cat or dog doesn't dart outside
when you open the door for trick-or-treaters. |
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