A reader sent me an e-mail asking that I remind everyone that Halloween will be at the end of this week and the family pet cats and dogs are in danger.
If you are wondering what danger, I will remind you that many animal shelters will not put their cats up for adoption the week before this holiday because cats are objects for possible abuse. Liam Crowe, CEO and master dog behavioral therapist of Bark Busters USA has stated in her Oct. 20 article titled "Halloween Safety Tips," she hears about more dogs dying or straying than on any other holiday.
Therefore, please corral your pets, whether canine or feline and keep them safe on that night. Animals are not used to the costumes, flashlights and squeals of joy that are part of trick or treating. Some dogs will hide; some will run away where they might be hit by a car carrying children to a new neighborhood. However, if the dog feels cornered by the newest witch on the block, it may snarl defensively. This is why it is so important to safely confine your pets during the evening and early night on Oct. 31. You could give the dog a chew toy to keep him occupied.
If your child has a dream that the family pet would make a good addition to the costume, think twice and try to persuade your child to substitute and carry a cute stuffed toy instead. If there are tears and howls of unhappiness, tell the child that you need the dog at home to protect you from the goblins that will arrive at the door.
If you plan to have the dog accompany you to the door, it is necessary to introduce the pup to costumes. It is really late now to start this introduction. The first thing to do is to see how the animal reacts when the child enters the room in a costume. Some will bark aggressively and some will run, but the ideal is for the pet to back off a few steps and then slowly approach and sniff the costume. He might possibly recognize the child and accept the new garment and mask.
For those families planning to dress the dog or cat in its own costume, see how the animal reacts to clothing. Some dogs will freeze and not move until the costume is removed, others will tear the cloth to shreds as the last Velcro strip is pressed down. Then there are the happy dogs that strut around the room looking for praise and treats.
Another thing, you need to be careful with the candies. Chocolate, including white chocolate, will make your dog sick and depending on how much is eaten, can kill the animal.
Macadamia nuts also are toxic for pets. Please don’t share the candy with your pet.
So, be careful and have a howling good time.