Pet safety tips for Halloween
By Christine Cowett Robinson
Special to the Star-Herald
We participated last weekend in the Caribou Craft Fair and I must say it was a wonderful time. I worked Saturday and we definitely underestimated the traffic we would have.
Photo courtesy of Christine Robinson
GRANT PRESENTATION — Central Aroostook Humane Society staff were presented with a $5,000 grant through the Virginia B. Disney bequest, which is administered through The Humane Society of the United States. The funds will be used to benefit animals at the Presque Isle facility. Pictured from left are: shelter employee Sharon Brown; shelter employee Crystal Patterson; shelter employee Heather Storey; Katie Lisnik, Maine state director for the Humane Society of the U.S.; and Shelter Manager Betsy Hallett.
We shared many stories with many wonderful people about their animals and their experiences. It was very positive. Unfortunately, we could not sell tickets on our dollhouse or ‘welcome’ sign, so if you want to buy tickets, please stop by the shelter or send us a message on Facebook. Now is the time to get busy and start making things for next year’s sale. If you are a crafter and have an item or two to donate, that would be awesome, but please wait until next fall as we have no storage for such items.
Halloween is coming and it is our job as good “pet parents” to keep our animals safe during this time of “tricks and treats.” Here are some tips to help you do so:
• Never leave your pet out in the yard on Halloween. There are plenty of stories of vicious pranksters who have teased, injured, stolen or even killed pets on this night;
• Trick-or-treat candies are not for pets. Chocolate is poisonous to a lot of animals, and tinfoil 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 in costume unless you know he loves it. Otherwise, it puts a lot of stress on the animal;
• If you do dress up your dog, make sure the costume isn’t constricting, annoying or unsafe. Be careful not to obstruct his/her vision; even the sweetest dogs can get snappy when they can’t see what’s going on around them;
• All but the most social dogs should be kept in a separate room during trick-or-treat visiting hours; too many strangers in strange garb can be scary for a dog; and
• Be careful your cat or dog doesn’t dart out through the open door.
Keeping our animals safe is a huge responsibility. I say “It is my job to keep people safe from my dogs and my dogs safe from people.” I work very hard on being sure my dogs are safe and that they have manners when they meet people. A well-socialized dog is one you can take with you anywhere. Also, a tired dog is a good dog. If you are noticing behavior issues with your dog, try getting more exercise. It is difficult when you work all day to have the energy to come home and face a dog who has been alone all day, but that is part of the responsibility. If you just can’t take it, hire someone to walk your dog or look into doggie daycare for your dog. A dog needs mental stimulation as well as physical exercise and play groups do that for dogs.
Dogs are not furry little children, although some people would like to believe them to be. They need a confident leader who is willing to explain the rules and teach with patience and kindness. Dogs also learn from their leader being consistent and fair, so asking your dog to jump up on you one minute, yet finding it unacceptable the next time is not being fair. You also need to consider size; if you get a puppy, it will grow and you need to decide what behaviors you are willing to accept — not from a 10-pound puppy but from a 50-pound dog — because what you teach that pup at a young age will follow it through life as one of life’s rules. One rule I always follow is that my dog’s teeth should never touch me for any reason. It is unacceptable to mouth me, even as a puppy. Encouraging or accepting mouthing behavior may be setting your dog up to bite someone later as an adult.
Keep your critters safe and have a wonderful Halloween everyone.
If you are looking for a friend for life, visit the Central Aroostook Humane Society. We have many wonderful animals waiting for homes. Our business hours are Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., or catch us on Facebook.
Please have your pets spayed or neutered.
