September 17, 2004 WITCHES, BATS & SCAREDY CATS!! Halloween is one of the best Holidays for children, but it can be hard on pets if you don't take some precautions. The best way to keep your pet safe is to keep it at home. Wandering pets can be spooked by noisy groups of small ghouls and goblins, and might end up running too far from home to find their way back. Keep pets confined away from the door. You may open the door many times during the Halloween evening, providing tempting opportunities for Fido or Fluffy to slip through your legs and outside, unescorted. Pets are calmer, too, if kept away from the door. Dogs in particular, may resent the endless intrusions of strangers in their territory and become very anxious, which could lead to growling at the children, or worse. If you have a black cat, you have a special problem. The mythology about black cats being related to witches can lead strange people to strange things. Even children, who mean no harm, may yell when they see a black cat, scaring the cat much more than scaring them. If you find yourself, as we all do, with a house full of candy on Halloween, don't feel you must share it with your pet. No chowing on chocolate for your pooch. Chocolate contains a stimulant called theobromine which can make dogs very ill, and could even cause death if consumed in enough quantity. Do be assured of a howlingly successful Halloween, and you want to treat the pets, stock on dog biscuits or catnip toy and treats with no tricks attached. For More Information Contact: Patricia A. Montgomery Media 24-Hour Hotline 630/697-2862