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Halloween Safety Tips
for your Pet

Halloween can be fun and festive
for people, especially children. But for pets, it can be
dangerous and spooky. Here are some tips to keep your pet safe
and happy on Halloween.
Don’t
leave your pets outside unattended on Halloween or for a week
before or after Halloween. Vicious pranks can be committed
against pets, especially black cats.
Ghoulish goodies are for people, not pets.
Chocolate is toxic to dogs and cats, and candy wrappers and
lollipop sticks can be hazardous if swallowed.
Resist the urge to dress
your pet in costume. Chances are the pet won’t be thrilled. Pets
prefer to wear their own fur clothes. Don’t even think about
putting a mask on your pet.
Pets have no
business accompanying children on their trick or treat rounds.
Strange people in strange clothes will frighten your pet, and
you may not be able to control a frightened pooch.
When you answer the door, make sure the
pet can’t head outside. It’s scary and dangerous out there. Just
in case your pet escapes, be sure it has proper identification.
It’s best not to use live flame
decorations at all.
Keep decorations that pets could chew
on—like streamers and fake spider webs—and wires and cords from
electric decorations out of reach.
Remember
your pets can’t tell you what bothers them. They are more easily
frightened when they have no idea what’s going on.
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Note***Many
of you will remember the Puppy Mill dogs that came into the
shelter in the last few months. Your response to these
poor puppies was overwhelming. Below is an article written by
the Assistant Shelter Manager expressing her feelings in caring
for these Puppy Mill dogs.

The Little Apricot
Poodle from a Puppy Mill
By Ashley
Schlyer, Assistant Shelter Manager
The little apricot poodle never
had a name, but I will call her Halley. Halley was one of 70
dogs rescued from a puppy mill. She and three other dogs were
brought to our shelter by one of the Kansas Animal Health
Department inspectors.
Most of the dogs that came into our care would need
dental work, but otherwise would be healthy enough to be adopted
into a forever home.
Halley never knew what it was like to have a warm bed
to sleep on or a space all her own. It was the least I could do
but to give her fresh food, water and a soft blanket to lay on
that night. Halley didn’t know what treats or toys were, and
even though she had never known what it was like to be loved,
she would look up lovingly hoping to be noticed.
The conditions Halley was living in were so poor that
she had no use of her back legs. She struggled to pull herself
around on her two front paws while dragging her whole backside
behind her. It was a pitiful and saddening site to witness.
When she was taken to the vet the next morning, it was
evident she had been forced to breed over and over even without
the use of her back legs. This would have been extremely
difficult and painful for an animal in this condition.
The next time you think about buying a cute little
poodle puppy from a pet store or a breeder, think of Halley.
She, too, was once a cute little puppy that was given a death
sentence by the puppy mill that bought her and used her to make
profit until she was seemingly worthless to them.
Even in
the short time we got to know Halley, we could see they may have
broken her body, but her loving spirit lived on. The job we do
isn’t always easy and often times is thankless, but giving
Halley one day of knowing what it’s like to be loved was truly
worth it. |
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Virginia Miller
Animal Shelter

2050 East US Highway
40
Hays, Kansas
67601-9310
(785) 625-5252
Closed Mondays
Tuesday-Friday 1pm-6pm
Saturday-Sunday 1pm-5pm
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How would you like to make a difference in a homeless
animal’s life by helping and lending your own paws?
Volunteers with the Humane Society of the High Plains
really do make a difference. Check on any of the
activities below you would be interested in, and then
give the shelter a call at 625-5252 during open hours.
Read More
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