No Fear on Halloween
PET TALES
BY DR. MARTY BECKER and _GINA SPADAFORI Correspondent
Dressing up? Tricks and treats? Halloween sounds like the perfect holiday when it comes to including your pet in the fun. And it can be, with a few basic precautions.

PHOTO BY MORGAN ONG / UNIVERSAL PRESS SYNDICATE Dressing up a pet for Halloween may seem silly to many, but there's no harm in having a little innocent fun with one's dog.

While we humans love the change in routine that holidays often bring - the parties, the guests and the decorations - our furred and feathered family members too often find the disruptions disturbing and sometimes dangerous.

The two biggest problems with this ghoulish holiday are frightened pets and poisoned pets - and veterinary emergency clinics traditionally see plenty of both. With the increase in activity, cats and dogs get nervous, and some will take off if they can. That means an increase in animals hit by cars or otherwise injured when on the run.

The animals themselves may be a cause of injury: All those costumed young visitors can trigger territorial instincts or fear responses in some dogs, who may then become a bite risk.

The best solution for nervous or improperly socialized pets is to confine them for the evening in a crate or a quiet room far from the front door or any holiday festivities.

Now, about the poisons. Candy is a prob- lem more for dogs than for cats, because cats are generally picky about what they eat. Not so for most dogs, who'll wolf down candy - wrappers and all - if given the opportunity, giving many a serious case of what veterinarians call "garbage gut." Any candy can trigger a bout of intestinal upset, but chocolate can do much worse. The small dog who gets a large amount of chocolate could end up dead without prompt veterinary intervention.

Some people put costumes on their dogs, and that's safe enough and plenty fun if you use common sense. You can find readymade costumes in most pet stores, in almost as much variety as you'll find in stores for children. Homemade costumes are another good option, and you'll find a surprising number of pet-costume events where you and your dog can show off your handiwork for fun and prizes. Make sure, though, that any costume meets the commonsense standard: It should be comfortable and nonrestrictive, and it shouldn't involve anything that could be hazardous, such as dye or paint.

Many animal-welfare groups warn that black cats are at special risk around Halloween, claiming that cultists pick up the animals for ritual torture. Such concerns have led some shelters to halt the adoption of black cats in the days before Halloween.

In truth, such cruelties are so poorly documented that they surely happen rarely, if at all. Your black cat is more likely to be killed by a car than a cultist, but the threat of either is more than reason enough to keep him inside. But that's true of all cats at all times.

While pets may not like the holidays as much as we do, any celebration can be made pet-safe with just a few basic precautions. Be sure to take them, because veterinarians would rather hand out candy to children than medicine to pets on Halloween.

To adopt a pet

There are many dogs and cats available at Lee County Animal Services, 5600 Banner Drive, Fort Myers. Call 432-2083 or visit the agency's Web site at www.leelostpets.com. Adoption applications may be downloaded from the site or completed at the shelter, which is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. Please use the animal's ID number when inquiring about it. The adoption fee is $65 for dogs and $50 for cats.