The Sacramento County Animal Care Facility is urging pet owners to plan ahead for Halloween and take measures to prevent frightened pets from escaping during trick-or-treating hours.
“We often see a surge in strays after Halloween when dogs escape yards from being frightened,” said Pat Claerbout, Animal Care Director. “By taking just a few minutes to plan ahead, your cats and dogs can stay happy, calm and safe in their homes and avoid an unpleasant trip to the shelter.”
The shelter has published a list of ways pet owners can keep their pets healthy and secure during Halloween festivities.
- Halloween is not necessarily fun for pets with crowds and doorbells and costumes and noise. They often bolt out of open doors and can become sick from ingesting candy.
- Protect your pet by keeping it indoors, even if they normally are outdoor pets.
- Make sure your pets are wearing their licenses – even if you’re “sure” they can’t get out.
- Be especially careful about keeping black cats indoors on Halloween. Some people are superstitious about black cats and may try to scare or harm them.
- Keep your pet in a separate room away from the door while you’re greeting trick-or-treaters.
- Dogs may feel that their territory is being invaded by the constant onslaught of visitors. Keeping your dog in a secluded area of the house will help it stay calm and prevent it from growling or possibly biting your visiting ghouls and goblins.
- Keep candy out of your pet’s reach because it can make your pet sick.
To learn more about pet safety, visit the Sacramento County Animal Care website at www.saccountyshelter.net.
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