{Photo by Sam Lion}
By Sharon Aron Baron
It’s Halloween time again, and festivities are already in full swing. That’s why Broward County Animal Care in Fort Lauderdale offers five essential safety tips to make this Halloween a safe time for your furry family member.
Keep Your Pet at Home
Halloween can be overwhelming for your pet, with the doorbell ringing and children screaming. So they don’t stress out, place them in a safe, quiet room, surrounded by the toys they love, and on their favorite bed if they have one.
Do not take them out to trick-or-treat or leave them outside in the yard or patio while children are going from house to house. And be sure to keep them away from the door. It’s easy for a pet to slip out when a door is open, or your pet may bite children out of fear or nervousness.
Watch that Candy Dish
Do not feed your pet any candy — especially chocolate — and do not leave the candy where a pet will be able to “help themselves.”
Pets have a keen sense of smell, so be sure that any collected candy is safely locked away from your dog or cat. As a reminder, foods such as chocolate, grapes, and raisins can make your pet sick.
In addition, sugar-free candy might even be worse because it contains xylitol, a common sugar substitute that is toxic to dogs, even in small amounts. Because of these dangers, bags or bowls of candy should always be out of reach from pets, and children should be taught never to share their treats. If you suspect your pet has ingested something harmful, contact your veterinarian right away.
Beware of Glow Sticks
These handy sticks help keep children visible at night, but pets may think they are a cool toy –especially cats.
A good bite or a puncture to the glow stick will be bitter to your pet and may cause drooling or an upset stomach. While most glow sticks are non-toxic, it is better to keep these items away from your pet.
Is Your Pet ID’d?
Make sure that your dog or cat is wearing their Broward County pet registration license tag on their collar. This will help ensure that your pet will be returned to you if they do get lost.
If your pet has a microchip, be sure the chip is registered to your current contact information.
Beware of Costume Hazards.
Your dog or cat may look very cute, but be wary of pet costumes that use rubber bands to hold them in place.
If you mistakenly leave rubber bands on your pet after the costume comes off, the band can burrow into the animal’s skin and cause infection. In addition, the pet may swallow the elastic, which can result in intestinal problems.
Broward County Animal Care and Adoption provides shelter for lost and homeless animals and has hundreds of shelter pets hoping for a new home.
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