All Around Pennsauken

By Nancy Welsh, Pennsauken Township Animal Control Officer

Halloween is the spookiest night of the year; but it really can be a nightmare for dogs and cats. But keeping your pets safe doesn’t have to be tricky. There are several simple precautions you can take to ensure your pets stay safe.

Halloween Candy Is Not For Pets

All forms of chocolate can be dangerous, even lethal for dogs and cats.  Symptoms of chocolate poisoning include vomiting, diarrhea, rapid breathing, increased heart rate, and even seizures. Some Halloween candies contain the artificial sweetener “xylitol,” which is poisonous to dogs even in small amounts and can cause a sudden drop in blood sugar resulting in loss of coordination and seizures. Even if these symptoms are not visible, xylitol can cause liver failure in dogs. If you believe your pet has ingested something toxic, please call your veterinarian or the pet poison control center at (888) 426-4435. Locally, Mt. Laurel Animal Hospital and Red Bank Animal Hospital are 24-hour emergency centers.

Don’t Leave Pets Out On Halloween

Halloween pranksters have been known to tease, injure, steal pets, or leave the gate open to cause them to escape. It’s inexcusable. But it is preventable by keeping your pets safely inside your house. Many shelters do not adopt out black cats during the month of October as a safety precaution from people who may want to harm them.  Make sure your cats, especially the black ones, are safely indoors. Cats should be kept indoors a few days and nights before and after Halloween to insure their safety.

Keep Pets Away From Trick Or Treaters

Indoors is certainly safer than outdoors for your pets on Halloween; but remember you will be opening and closing the door to trick or treaters for several hours. Strangers will be at your door dressed in unusual costumes. This can be very scary for dogs and cats, which can result in unexpected aggression or attempts to run and escape. Putting your dog or cat in a secure room or crate away from the sights and sounds of the front door will reduce stress and prevent them from escaping into the night.

Keep Halloween Decorations Out Of Reach

Ingesting decorations such as pumpkins and corn can cause gastrointestinal upset in animals, causing diarrhea or even a blockage if they bite off a large piece that can get stuck in their intestines. This may require an expensive surgery to correct.  Also, if you are using candles to light your jack-o-lanterns, make sure they are high enough so they don’t get knocked over by wagging tails.

Costumes And Pets

Don’t dress your pet in a costume unless you know they love it. If you are trying a costume on your pet for the first time, try a practice run before Halloween to determine if wearing a costume stresses or annoys your pet. If it does, then take a quick picture and take it off. Costumes should not constrict movement, hearing, eyesight or breathing. A Halloween bandana may be a good option instead of a costume.

Proper ID For Your Pets

If your pet escapes, you can make sure he or she is returned by having the proper tag with the pet’s name, address, and phone number on it. A microchip is also a good option if the contact information is up-to-date with the microchip company. If the pet is picked up by animal control, it will be scanned and you will be contacted so you know your pet is safe. Shelters, veterinary hospitals and some police stations also have pet microchip scanners. But an up-to-date tag on the collar is the quickest way to have your pet returned to you.

What To Do If You’re Pet Goes Missing

You should look for your pet as soon as you realize he or she is missing.  You should call the local police and report your pet missing. Remember, it is not the police department’s job to keep track of lost pets, but often they do. If you don’t find your pet, be sure to call local animal control at (856) 663-3058 to see if your pet was picked up and give a lost report, so if animal control receives a call or picks up your pet, they will contact you immediately.

If you find a lost pet, call the police right away. They can respond the fastest and make sure the pet is safe until animal control can get there to pick him or her up.

Have a safe and Happy Halloween!