By Christine Cowett Robinson
Special to the Aroostook Republican
Halloween is almost here; are you ready? Do you know what to do to keep your pets safe? Halloween is one of my favorite times of the year; the air is crisp and it is just a lot of fun, I always dress up with my kids to trick-or-treat. This time of year can be scary and even dangerous for our pets. Here are some tips to help keep your pets safe:
• Halloween is a time of pranks, and all too often, dogs and cats unfortunately are the target. Keep your pets indoors and safe during Halloween. If you can’t keep them inside, please be sure they are supervised;
• If you feel you must dress your pet in a costume, make sure the costume doesn’t interfere with his ability to breathe, see, hear, move or bark. Always be sure that wearing the costume doesn’t stress your dog out. It might be fun and cute for us, but be sure your pet is having fun too;
• Make sure if you are taking your dog out, he has a collar and ID tags on. Also be sure to have your dog on a leash; there will be plenty of other people out and about, you will need control of your dog;
• Candy and wrappers are potential choking hazards, and chocolate is particularly dangerous for dogs — a toxin. Instead, pick up a container of baked Halloween cookies for dogs to share or any other of your pooch’s favorite biscuits and treats;
• This holiday can be especially nerve-wracking, with the door opening and closing all night. Beware of pets darting out. You may even want to put up a temporary gate in the entranceway, or keep your dog in a separate room; and
• Decorations and Jack-O-Lanterns are tempting for pets to get their noses into. Needless to say, it’s too easy for them to get hurt if left unsupervised, whether it’s in a tangle of crepe paper or a singed coat from an open flame. • • Always keep these Halloween favors out of your pet’s reach!
I always say, “It is the pet owner’s responsibility to protect his dog from the public and the public from his dog.” It is a huge responsibility, but as pet owners, we must take this responsibility very seriously. Dogs don’t reason the same way we do, so a child in a scary mask may be viewed as a threat and a dog who has never bitten before may feel the need to protect. Don’t take that chance.
October is “Adopt a Shelter Dog Month.” Fortunately, our dog population has been down. Currently we have some awesome dogs available for adoption. Meesha is a beautiful shepherd mix, she is kind and playful. Her brother Rascal is also available for adoption; he has a great personality. Both are housebroken. We also have a handsome Rottie/boxer named Dodge who needs a strong leader, but is a great and big dog. Daisy is a sweet dog, medium sized; she looks like a small black lab and is very sweet. Please remember that when you bring an animal into your home, it is for the life of the animal.
When you adopt an animal from CAHS you are signing a legal contract. Please be sure to read that contract entirely and be sure that you understand it. One important thing that people tend to overlook is the fact that if you can no longer keep our animal, it must be returned to us. We do this to keep the animals safe and to be able to have a paper trail. We have a very extensive adoption application and carefully screen applicants. This is for the safety of the animal and to hopefully ensure that the animals get the best home possible. We understand that people’s lives and living situations can change; we do this as a service to you as well, so that you will not have to go through the stress of re-homing your pet. Leave it to the professionals, because that is what we do.
If you are looking for a “friend for life” please visit the Central Aroostook Humane Society. We are open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday-Saturday. You can give us a call at 764-3441 or visit us online at www.centralaroostookhumanesociety.org.
Please have your pets spayed or neutered.
