Though Halloween is meant to be a fun holiday for people of all ages, the SPCA Serving Erie County is reminding local pet owners of the risks involving their pets on the holiday.
Gina Browning, Director of Public Relations for the SPCA, says not everyone who is out on Halloween night is interested in trick-or-treating and says pets are easy targets for pranksters.
“[People] might want to tease, kick, and use their flashlight to blind animals,” said Browning.
Browning encourages people to keep animals inside their homes on Halloween, even if their animals are used to being outside. She also stressed not to feed animals chocolate, as the results could be fatal.
“We really like to hammer that point home around Halloween. It’s that sometimes the adults know, and that the adult pet owners know, but it’s important that the children know,” Browning added.
Browning says pets who are nervous or territorial should be kept occupied in a separate room. She warns people to be on the lookout of pets who seem lost or abandoned and to contact their local SPCA chapter if they have found or are missing their pet.