Hordes of little goblins and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers roaming the streets on Halloween might
not scare you, but pets often find these strange sights a frightening experience, says The Humane
Society of the United States (HSUS).
"Keep your pets safely inside," advises Martha Armstrong, HSUS vice president of companion
animals. "Dogs and cats are creatures of habit and are liable to become frightened or agitated by
the unaccustomed sights and sounds of trick-or-treaters. And avoid the temptation to dress up your
dog and send him trick-or-treating with the kids. Instead, Armstrong suggests secluding your pets in a quiet room away from the Halloween
activities. This will ensure that your pets won't panic and escape when bell-ringing trick-or-treaters arrive, nor
will they become threatened or aggressive at the sight of costumed, little people.
Halloween poses some other real dangers for pets, says Armstrong. Sadly, during Halloween, pets
are often the victims of pranksters' cruel tricks. Not quite so sinister, but, dangerous nonetheless, is
candy, especially chocolate, which can be harmful, even fatal to pets. Secure all candy safely away
from pets.
Restrict your pet's access to jack o'lanterns and candles, for their sake and yours. Decorations with
live flames are obvious hazards, but cats can also get tangled in streamers. And dogs -- who have a
proclivity to chew just about anything -- can become ill from eating holiday decorations.
Finally, some humane organizations fear that certain pets, primarily black cats, are at risk of
becoming unwilling participants in the darker side of Halloween activities, and elect to halt adoptions
of these animals until after the holiday. For safety reasons, Armstrong urges owners of all pets,
particularly owners of black cats, to keep an especially close eye on their pets around Halloween.
"Halloween can be fun for all members of your family -- both two- and four-legged members -- if you
take some simple precautions which include keeping your pets safely inside," adds Armstrong.
"Happy Halloween."
|
