Halloween safety tips for pets : News : ColoradoConnection.com

Read?more: Local, Entertainment, Halloween Safety Tips, Pet Safety Tips for Halloween, Halloween Safety for Pets, Joseph Vanloon, Pet Safety, Trick or Treating with Pets, ASPCA, Halloween and Pets, Tips to Keep Pets Safe on Halloween, Colorado Springs

A dog dressed as a pirate for Halloween. &nbsp/&nbspFOX21: file photo

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- Halloween?can be a sweet holiday for kids, but it can be a bit spooky for the family pet.

Between the strange people in?costumes and the night's?haunting sounds, dogs and cats can become fearful and sometimes aggressive.

"When they come to the door, and there is a strange person standing there in a costume," Joseph Vanloon, owner of?Loony Groom?in Colorado Springs, said, "they can become fearful and bite. It could also lunge at or take off, so it is a good idea to keep them secluded or away from trick-or-treaters."

Vanloon said it is also a good idea to show your pet your costume before Halloween night so they are not as frightened by your change of appearance.

"Have your kids put on their costumes and say, 'Hey, this is me,'" he said. "Put on and take off your masks, that way they know it is you. Just don't let them chew on your costume. There can be toxic material on some costumes."

The?American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals?also has a few tips to keep your pet and your family safe on Halloween:

1. No tricks, no treats: 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.

2. All but the most social dogs and cats should be kept in a separate room away from the front door during peak trick-or-treating hours. Too many strangers can be scary and stressful for pets.

3. 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.

4. When opening the door for trick-or-treaters, take care that your cat or dog doesn't dart outside.

5. Always make sure your dog or cat has proper identification. If for any reason your pet escapes and becomes lost, a collar and tags and/or a microchip can be a lifesaver, increasing the chances that he or she will be returned to you

For more safety tips,?click here.

Source: http://www.coloradoconnection.com/news/story.aspx?id=680648

wall street protesters att new york yankees pittsburgh penguins westboro baptist church kurt warner kurt warner