Don’t Forget Pets this Halloween

Don’t forget pet safety this Halloween. The Door County Humane Society (DCHS) reminds our community to plan ahead for a scary-but-safe Halloween for all:

Costumes: According to the National Retail Federation, Americans are expected to spend a record $370 million this year on Halloween costumes for pets. Be sure the pet’s costume isn’t binding or annoying. Avoid a costume with rubber bands or one that will obstruct their sight.

Give pets a calm place – Trick-or-treat rounds involve lots of doorbell ringing and doors opening. It’s a perfect scenario for a pet to dash out, or a dog to become protective. Keep your pet in a quiet, safe room surrounded by favorite toys. Always have a collar plus ID tags on your pet.

No candy: Once those bags of candy come into the house, keep your animals away. Chocolate can be lethal, but so can the foil wrappers around many varieties of sweets. Treats with the sugar-free sweetener xylitol are especially toxic, causing rapid hypoglycemia and liver failure in dogs and ferrets.

Candles and cats don’t mix: Cats and kittens are constantly curious so candles and lit pumpkins are potentially a huge problem.

DCHS Director Carrie Counihan said, “We are here if your pet goes missing on Halloween, so please call us [at 920.746.1111] as soon as possible with details and your contact information.”