ASPCA Offers Halloween Safety Tips For Pets
Friday, October 1, 2004

Tips to keep your companion animal safe during the holiday.

Contact: ASPCA
(212) 876-7700

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(New York) September 26, 2004 -- Halloween can be a festive and fun time of year for children and families, but for family pets, it can be a stressful and even dangerous time of year. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) offers pet owners some common-sense tips to help them keep their pets safe.

- Don't leave your pet out in the yard on Halloween. There are plenty of stories of vicious pranksters who have teased, injured, stolen, even killed pets on this night.

- Keep you outdoor cats inside several days before and several days after Halloween. Black cats in particular may be at risk from children's pranks or other cruelty-related incidents. Many shelters do not adopt out black cats on Halloween as a safety precaution.

- Trick-or-treat candies are not for pets. Chocolate is poisonous to many 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 or she loves it. Otherwise, it puts too much stress on the animal.

- If you do dress up your pet, make sure the costume isn't annoying or unsafe.  It should not constrict the animal's movement, hearing or ability to breathe or bark. Also, there should not be small, dangling, or easily chewed-off pieces on the costume that your pet could choke on.

- Be careful not to obstruct your pet's vision.  Even the sweetest animal can get snappy when he or she can't see.

- All but the most social dogs and cats should be kept in a separate room during trick-or-treat visiting hours. Too many strangers can be scary for a dog or cat.

- When opening the door for trick-or-treaters, be very careful your cat or dog doesn't dart outside.

- Make sure your dog or cat is wearing proper identification. If for any reason they escape and become lost, you increase the chances that they will be returned to you.

For more information, visit www.aspca.org/halloween

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Founded in 1866, the ASPCA^® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals^®) was the first humane organization established in the Americas, and today has more than one million supporters throughout North America. A 501 [c] [3] not-for-profit corporation, the ASPCA’s mission is to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States. The ASPCA provides local and national leadership in animal-assisted therapy, animal behavior, animal poison control, anti-cruelty, humane education, legislative services, and shelter outreach. The New York City headquarters houses a full-service, accredited animal hospital, adoption center, and mobile clinic outreach program. The Humane Law Enforcement department enforces New York’s animal cruelty laws and is featured on the reality television series “Animal Precinct” on Animal Planet. For more information, please visit www2.aspca.org.