As All Hallow's Eve approaches, certain dangers arise
for our companion animals.
Animals don't understand why three foot goblins are
ringing the doorbell at night. This causes barking of dogs and hissing
of cats. Turn off your doorbell and greet trick-or-treaters outside.
Avoid playing loud, scary music. This frightens the
already nervous animals. Instead, focus on decorating the outside.
Beware of those false spider webs. They might look great
draped from lamp to lamp, but if eaten by your animal, they can choke or
block intestines. Keep all webs, if any, outside where your animal does
not go.
If you have a black cat, DO NOT let him outside around
Halloween. Not only are there sick teenagers that abuse them for pranks,
but Satanic worshipers and the like make sacrifices using black cats,
and most of those are lost cats. Ordinarily you should never let your
cat out, but make extra special care these next few weeks not to let
your beloved escape.
Do not let your animals get a hold of any candy. Keep
the candy your trick-or-treaters bring home out of reach or in a cookie
jar. Put candy (if you are giving any -- go vegan this year!) in a bowl
and keep it with you at all times.
Keep animals away from the pumpkin. Although your
companion might want to help out with the carving, pumpkin can make dogs
and cats sick. When scooping out the gunk, be sure to put it in a bowl
or paper bag and discard quickly. Don't forget to save the seeds! Wash
them in a spaghetti strainer and let them dry or roast them. They make a
great treat for wild birds!
Don't let animals get into costumes or make up. The
materials that are used to make masks can block digestive tracks of cats
and dogs, and make up and body paint can make animals sick.
With these safety tips, you'll make your animals'
Halloween a safe, happy one! Don't forget to get him or her a special
"treat"!
Go on to Genetic Engineering
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