ASPCA on Halloween!

76 trombones led the big parade…

Apparently, dogs all over New York City heard this song, and the news about these trombones traveled fast! Dozens of dogs showed up prepared for a big brass meal! Boy, were they disappointed to learn the truth—but they had a good time at the parade anyway. The pooches came from rescues and shelters all around the city. Ever in Halloween spirit, they were dressed in inspired costumes.

ASPCA staffers joined the annual Greenwich Village Halloween parade, proudly representing in orange and handing out hundreds of orange wristbands to the crowd! The ASPCA and other animal organizations walked alongside a fabulous "Animals Love NYC" float, sponsored by New York Tails Magazine, Q1043 FM , Bella Starlet Dog Talent, Street Treats and Tribeca-Soho Animal Hospital.

Click here to see more ASPCA pics from the parade (and you get to see a few shots of the staffers at the office, too!).

Halloween Safety Tips

Halloween will be here in a couple of days, and we don't want no scaredy cats! Or scaredy dogs, rabbits, pet elephants, etc... So heed these precautions for a stress-free and safe Oct. 31st.

1. No tricks, no treats: That bowlful of candy is for trick-or-treaters, not for Scruffy and Fluffy. Chocolate in all forms can be very dangerous for dogs and cats, and tin foil and cellophane candy wrappers can be hazardous if swallowed. If you suspect your pet has ingested a potentially dangerous substance, please call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.

2. Popular Halloween plants such as pumpkins and decorative corn are considered to be relatively nontoxic, yet they can produce gastrointestinal upset should pets ingest them. Intestinal blockage could even occur if large pieces are ingested.

3. Keep wires and cords from electric lights and other decorations out of reach of your pets. If chewed, your pet could experience damage to his mouth from shards of glass or plastic, or receive a possibly life-threatening electrical shock.

4. A carved pumpkin certainly is festive, but do exercise extreme caution if you choose to add a candle. Pets can easily knock a lit pumpkin over and cause a fire. Curious kittens especially run the risk of getting burned or singed by candle flames.

5. Dress-up can be a big mess-up for some pets. Please don't put your dog or cat in a costume UNLESS you know he or she loves it (yup, a few pets are real hams!). For pets who prefer their “birthday suits,” however, wearing a costume can cause undue stress.

6. If you do dress up your pet, make sure the costume isn't annoying or unsafe. It should not constrict the animal's movement or hearing, or impede his ability to breathe or bark. Keep a look out for small, dangling, or easily chewed-off pieces on the costume that your pet could choke on.

7. Take a closer look at your pet’s costume and make sure it does not obstruct her vision in any way. Even the sweetest animals can get snappy when they can't see.

8. All but the most social dogs and cats should be kept in a separate room during peak trick-or-treat visiting hours. Too many strangers can be scary and stressful for pets.

9. When opening the door for trick-or-treaters, take care that your cat or dog doesn't dart outside.

10. IDs, please! Always make sure your dog or cat has proper identification. If for any reason your pet escapes and become lost, a collar and tags and/or a microchip increase the chances that he or she will be returned to you.

We Love a Parade!

ASPCA staff members partaking in the annual Greenwich Village halloween parade.

Top 10 Halloween Safety Tips

Attention, companion animal caretakers! The ASPCA would like to call your attention to these common-sense cautions that’ll help keep your pets safe and stress-free this time of year.

1. No tricks, no treats: That bowlful of candy is for trick-or-treaters, not for Scruffy and Fluffy. Chocolate in all forms can be very dangerous for dogs and cats, and tin foil and cellophane candy wrappers can be hazardous if swallowed. If you suspect your pet has ingested a potentially dangerous substance, please call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.

2. Popular Halloween plants such as pumpkins and decorative corn are considered to be relatively nontoxic, yet they can produce gastrointestinal upset should pets ingest them. Intestinal blockage could even occur if large pieces are ingested.

3. Keep wires and cords from electric lights and other decorations out of reach of your pets. If chewed, your pet could experience damage to his mouth from shards of glass or plastic, or receive a possibly life-threatening electrical shock.

Click here to read more halloween safety tips...

Tags: ASPCA, Halloween, Pet Care

Happy HOWL-o-Ween!

Check out some of our furry friends across the country who especially love October 31.

Visit the Halloween Photo Album...

Press Release: Guard Against Ghoulish Goodies: Keep Your Pets Safe From Halloween Hazards

ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center Offers Poison Safety Tips For Pet Owners

(Urbana, IL) October 2, 2006 — The arrival of Halloween brings fun parties, trick-or-treaters, and lots of delicious candies. However, some of the same goodies and decorations we humans are fond of can be potentially hazardous to our pets. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center is offering pet owners some helpful hints to keep their pets healthy and safe during Halloween.

- Halloween treats with chocolate are not appropriate for pets. Depending on the dose ingested, chocolate (baker's, semisweet, milk and dark) can be potentially poisonous to many animals. In general, the less sweet the chocolate, the more toxic it could be. In fact, unsweetened baking chocolate contains almost seven times more theobromine than milk chocolate. Vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, hyperactivity and increased thirst, urination and heart rate can be seen with the ingestion of as little as 1/4 ounce of baking chocolate by a 10-pound dog.

Read the rest of our Halloween Safety Tips...