Halloween is supposed to be fun and a little frightening, but the holiday can turn downright scary if your pet runs away.
Sudden noises and strange-looking costumes can spook your pet, causing them to bolt through the open door. The best idea is to always adorn your pet with a collar and identification tag, along with microchipping them.
“If you haven’t already licensed and microchipped your pet, now is the time – especially your cat,” said Nancy Hill, the Regional Director of SCRAPS. “SCRAPS reunites about 63 % of dogs with their owners. That statistic for cats is only about 3% due to the lack of licensing and microchipping in cats.”
Here are some extra precautions to take this Halloween:
- Gauge your pet’s typical reaction while greeting visitors and decide if putting up a baby gate or leaving your dog or cat in a back room of the house would keep them calmer throughout the evening.
- Glow sticks can be punctured or broken open very easily by pets. The chemical inside isn’t toxic but can make your pet very sick.
- Your pet’s Halloween garb should not constrict his movement or hearing, or impede his ability to breathe, bark or meow. Be sure to try on costumes in advance—and if your furry friend seems distressed, you’ll want to ditch the mini-pirate hat and vest.
- That bowl of candy is for trick-or-treaters, not for Scruffy and Fluffy. Chocolate in all forms — especially dark or baking chocolate — can be very dangerous for dogs and cats. Candies containing the artificial sweetener xylitol can also cause problems.
- A carved pumpkin certainly is festive, but do exercise caution if you choose to add a candle. Pets can easily knock a lit pumpkin over and cause a fire. Curious kittens especially run the risk of getting burned or singed by candle flames.
SCRAPS will be hosting our annual Howliween Pawty on Saturday, October 28th from 1 – 3 p.m. Pets are invited to drag their humans down to the shelter to help Jack Skellington find his dog Zero. The pet parade begins at 2 p.m. with prizes for people and the pets. Kids games, treats and a SCRAPS Rescue Room for adults (like an escape room) are part of the fun.
About SCRAPS: Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service (SCRAPS) is a progressive municipal animal care and protection agency serving the unincorporated areas of Spokane County, the cities of Spokane, Spokane Valley, Cheney, Fairfield, Deer Park, Rockford, Liberty Lake, Millwood and Medical Lake. SCRAPS has deputized animal protection officers extensively trained to enforce animal laws and respond to emergency situations.
SOURCE – SCRAPS release, October 2017
