Happy Halloween - Safety Tips

Halloween Pet Safety

It's Halloween night and the door bell is continuously ringing. This may be very frightening to your dog or cat or other pets. You need to have a game plan for them, as well, on Halloween night. Have a room set up for them and keep them behind closed doors during trick-or-treating hours. Have food, water, a toy or two and a litter box if needed all set up for them.

You saw the cutest costume for your pet! Just because you think a certain Halloween costume for your fur person is cute doesn't mean that they will enjoy wearing it! Try it on them in advance and see how they react. If they don't like it, don't force them to wear it.

If you own a cat and let it go outside, remember that this a bad time of year for cats. Vicious people tend to find Halloween an excuse to hurt or kill them. Keep them inside for a few days and nights. While they may whine a bit because they are used to going outside, they'll be safer in the house where you can keep an eye on them. There's no need for a pet to run free anyway, keep it home where it's safe all year long.

Having an adult party? Remember, dogs, cats, birds and other animals do not like being intoxicated. Some people at the party may think it's funny to get an animal drunk or high but it can kill them. It's better to hurt someone's feelings by telling them to leave the party than to deal with a seriously ill beloved pet.

Here are some tips to keep your pets happy on Halloween.

As much as your dog or cat may beg for some of your Halloween candy, always remember that chocolate is deadly to them in any amount. There's a chemical that naturally occurs in chocolate that they can not tolerate.


If you work in a pet store, remember that this is the time of year that can be deadly for black cats. Some sick people who play at being what they'll call a Satanist will buy them to "sacrifice" If you can, don't take any black cats or sell them during October. Many pet stores won't take them anyway, just for this reason.


The wrappers, such as tin foil, can get stuck in your pets digestive tract and make them ill or cause death. There are plenty of recipes for making home made dog and cat treats, you can always make them on a Halloween theme if you want to make something special for your pet.


Large dogs can have lethal tails when it comes to wagging them. I've seen a German Shepherd that we used to have clear a coffee table in two seconds flat when she got excited. Don't leave any lighted candles or Jack-O-Lanterns where they could be knocked over by a swinging tail or by a curious cat. Not only could your pet start a fire but they could severely burn themselves in the process.


If you are going to dress your pet in a costume, keep in mind that unless the dog or cat is extremely receptive to this kind of thing, you could be causing it discomfort and stress. Some animals don't mind at all but others do not want to be bothered with this kind of thing. They'll be under enough stress with the festivities going on outside and people constantly at the door so don't cause them any more stress then you have to. You may love to dress in costume but then, you aren't a dog or a cat.


If a pet costume comes with a mask, don't use it. While some dogs will love dressing up, they usually aren't too keen on masks. If you do use a mask on your pet, make sure that it's eyes have plenty of room to see and that there is nothing covering it's nose or confining it's mouth.


If you are having a indoor party, make sure that you put your dog or cat in a room where they won't be disturbed. Even if your pet is ultra friendly and doesn't mind loud noises, music and lots of people you should keep them separate for the night. Also, be careful your cat or dog doesn't dart out through the open door as you hand out candy. Best bet is to just put them in a room with some food and water for the night and check on them once in a while to let them know everything is fine.



Halloween Safety Tips for Adults


Parents of trick-or-treating kids can get so caught up in the fun themselves that they might forget some simple safety ideas that could keep everyone out of trouble. Having a fun and safe Halloween will make it all worth while!

Kids love Halloween! They get to dress up and get free candy! What a perfect holiday! Give your kids some precious Halloween memories that they'll have for life.

If you take your kids to a sponsored event, like a safe Halloween thrown by your church or community center, make sure to keep an eye on them at al times. Even though it seems less dangerous, you are still in a strange environment full of people that you don't know. All it takes is a minute with your back turned to find your child gone.

Cell phones are everywhere now! Everyone seems to have one, they can be so affordable. Make sure that your child has a pre-programmed cell phone with him/her if they go out on Halloween night! Make sure that all important numbers are already there and ready for use.

Below are more common sense tips that can help adults keep their kids safe.

As bad as it sounds, this is just a fact of life now. Get on the internet and check your local state website for sex offenders. Almost every state has one, just do a search for your state sex offender site. Look up your zip code and it should have a list of registered offenders in your area that includes street addresses. Make sure that your kids stay away from these houses!


Know the route your kids will be taking if you aren't going with them. Let them know that they are to check in with you every hour, by phone or by stopping back at home. Make sure that they know not to deviate from the planned route so that you always know where they will be.


Trick or treating isn't what it used to be. In most cities it's not safe to let kids walk the streets by themselves. Your best bet is to make sure that an adult is going with them. If you can't take them yourself, see if another parent or two can.


Help your young child pick out or make a costume that will be safe. Make sure that it's fire proof or treated with fire retardant. If they are wearing a mask of any kind, make sure that the eye holes are large enough for good peripheral vision.


Know what other activities a child may be attending, such as parties, school or mall functions. If they are going to be at a friends home, get the phone number and make sure that you've met the parents.


Make sure you set a time that your kids should be home by. Make sure they know how important it is for them to be home on time or to call immediately if something happens and they are going to be delayed.


Kids will be kids. Explain to kids of all ages the difference between tricks and vandalism. Throwing eggs at a house may seem funny but they need to know the other side of the coin as well, that clean up and damages can ruin Halloween for everyone. If they are caught vandalizing, make them clean up the mess they've made.


Some sick people find Halloween a great night to hurt cats. Explain to your kids that animal cruelty of any kind is not acceptable. Kids may already know this on their own but stress the point that it's not acceptable behavior. Make sure that they know that harming animals is not only morally wrong but punishable by law and will not be tolerated.


Serve your kids a filling meal before trick or treating and they won't be as tempted to eat any candy before they bring it home for you to check. Check your local grocery store or craft store for Halloween cook books full of tasty treats on a horror theme for both kids and adults.


Make sure that if your child is carrying a prop, such as a scythe, butcher knife or a pitchfork, that the tips are smooth and flexible enough to not cause injury if fallen on. Make sure that costumes won't get in the way when they are walking, which could cause them to trip.


Teach your kids about not getting into strangers cars or talking to strangers, no matter what the person says to them. Explain to them as simply as you can that some adults are bad and want to hurt children, that they should never go into a house that they don't know, get into a car or go anywhere with a stranger. Also, tell them what to do should this happen, to scream as loud as they can to draw attention and to run away as fast as they can to someplace safe.


Be sure to show your children know how to cross a street properly. They should always look both ways before crossing the street and should only cross at corners or crosswalks. Make sure that if you have more than one child, they know to take the hand of the younger child when they cross a street.



Make Halloween a fun, safe and happy time for your kids and they'll carry on the tradition that you taught them to their own families some day!


Halloween Safety Tips for Drivers


Halloween is a wonderful holiday, but because of increased foot traffic and that Trick-or-Treaters are out at night, the potential for automobile related accidents with young pedestrians increases four times on this night according to a CDC (Center for Disease Control) study.

Streets are literally crawling with all sorts of witches, ghosts, goblins, vampires and all other sorts of costumed people. This makes for added responsibility for drivers to make sure that they drive safer than normal.

In many areas, people drive their kids into subdivisions and let them out to walk from house to house. Usually the parent follows behind in the car. This can cause traffic jams in small areas and much confusion as kids dart between cars on the streets going from house to house. A driver is already distracted because they are trying to keep an eye on their own kids and usually aren't paying attention to much else.

Children and adults tend to be preoccupied and may not pay as much attention to safety as they should. They may not see your vehicle or just assume that you see them automatically. Stay on the defensive and you shouldn't have a problem while driving on Halloween night.

Don't use a cell phone or other electronic device while driving on Halloween night. You shouldn't be doing this anyway, the rate of cell phone related auto accidents has jumped dramatically since the use of cell phones and texting has risen so high. Some states have already made laws concerning this and others are working on it.


Pay extra attention, particularly to crosswalks, intersections and the side of the road. Kids tend to walk along the curbs, cutting across the street to get to other homes. Keep scanning all around you as you drive, whether as thru traffic or along with your kids as they trick-or-treat.


Drive below the posted speed limit in residential areas during trick-or-treating hours. This will allow you time to break if you see a child dart in front of you.


Do not pass other vehicles that have stopped in the roadway, they could be dropping off children. This is more common in rural areas but can happen anywhere.


Instruct your child to never get into the car of a stranger. It might be easy for your child to mistake someone else's car your car with the excitement of Halloween. Put a lighted plastic Jack-O-Lantern on your dashboard to make your car more recognizable to your child,


It's also a night that child predators are looking for victims. Let your child know that they should never get into the car of a stranger at any time. If someone stops them and asks for help or offers them candy, tell them to scream as loud as they can and run.


Make sure your child carries a flashlight, glow stick or has reflective tape on their costume to make them more visible to cars. Left them know if they carry a flash light to never shine itin the eyes of a driver. This can cause blindness on the drivers part temporarily and they may not see your child.


If you are dropping off or picking up your kids in an area, pull off the road into a safe spot and turn on your hazard lights to alert other motorists. If you go with your kids from door to door, leave the hazard lights on so other drivers can see your car parked there.