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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.
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.
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.
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
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In Europe, seeing a "black" cat is considered to be very
lucky. A white cat is considered unlucky. For some reason it
is the opposite in the United States. |
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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.
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.
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.
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.
Dogs can have lethal
tails, wagging all 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 stress. Some animals don't mind at
all but others do not want to be bothered with this kind of thing. 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 then 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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