The weather outside is frightful

Though the calendar begs to differ, it really seems like winter, especially since we had about 4 inches of snow yesterday. (How about that thunder and lightning around 5 p.m.?)

So it's time to think about keeping your pets safe during the colder weather.

An article in the Deseret News from Salt Lake City, Utah, offers some suggestions.

"Warm-blooded mammals can't survive without adequate protection in the kind of cold weather we're going to be having," said Gene Baierschmidt, executive director of the Humane Society of Utah. "If you can't actually keep your animals in the house with the rest of your family or in a basement or garage, then please at least see that they have snug, insulated shelter away from the wind and elevated off the ground."

Baierschmidt includes farm animals in his advice, adding that horses should be brought into a barn.

Other cold-weather tips include:

• Keep cats inside.
• Older pets should never be kept outside at all, as well as young, ill or short-hair breeds.
• Don't let your dog off leash during a snowstorm; they could lose their scent and get lost.
• Spills of antifreeze, which is highly toxic to pets, should be immediately wiped up.
• Never leave your pet in the car during the winter; the car acts like a refrigerator during cold weather.
  

Almost last-minute Boo-day safety reminder

With Halloween just around the corner — Eeek! It's Saturday! — here's a reminder of some basic pet safety tips.

From the Chicago Daily Herald:

• To avoid stress, with the door bell ringing constantly, find your pet a quiet place in the house.
• If the weather is nice, give the treats outdoors. Again avoiding the doorbell.
• No chocolate for Fido.
• Keep lit candles well away from your pets.
• Make sure pets have current identification tags. You never know when they might slip out when the door is open.

Have fun on Halloween.

Tips on adopting a pet

A friend sent me an e-mail from the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals, reminding people of 10 questions they should consider before adopting a pet.

Here they are:

1. Do you know that this particular breed/type of pet is right for you?
2. Are you ready to make a long-term commitment to your new pet?
3. Will you be responsible enough to provide your new pet with the appropriate food, attention and medical needs?
4. Do you travel or are you away from home often? If so, who will care for your new pet?
5. Can you spend quality time with your pet?
6. Is your home situation “pet-friendly”?
7. Are you economically stable and will be able to care for your pet?
8. Do you have other pets at home? If so, will they get along?
9. Who will the pet live with? Will your guests/family commit to the new pet as well? Do they suffer from allergies?
10. Do you have the time, energy and patience for a pet?

They are good questions, and something to think long and hard about. Getting a pet, especially at the holiday season, may not be the best of thing to do. Read No. 2 again.

It's that time of year again for ghosts and goblins

Halloween is this Friday. Boo! (Did I scare ya?)

Thankfully, the people across the street disconnected that spooky sound machine that plays scary noises every time you walk by, even if you are on the opposite sidewalk. Last year that got really old, really fast, especially late at night for Kate's last piddle of the day.

We should all remember that somethings in the Halloween festivities don't necessarily mix with your pets.

Costumes for one.

According to the people at petstress.com (I'm assuming they try to alleviate or prevent it, not that you can order stress from them for your pet), costumes should be chosen with a few things in mind.

Make sure it's comfortable for the pet and that it doesn't constrict or bind them in any way. Also be sure to choose or make a costume that the little critter can't chew on and swallow parts.

Remember that chocolate is bad for pets, as is the artificial sweetener xylitol. Keep all Halloween candy out of reach of interested wet noses.

Decorations should be kept out of harm's way — or Fido's or Fluffy's for that matter. Burning candles = bad. Electrical cords, too.

And if your pets get too excited when the doorbell rings, why not put them in a quiet area of the house until all the Trick-or-Treaters have been treated. This is even a better idea if your pet likes to dash through an open door.

Here is a link to the complete list of suggestions.

Happy Halloween! Boo! (Did I scare you that time?)