Happy Halloween everyone. Staying safe.

Do not share your holiday meals or goodies with your pet. Poultry bones, scraps, and string are dangerous. Dispose of them in a pet-proof container. Rich holiday foods- especially chocolate can be hazardous for pets. Give pets treats that are specially made for their sensitive stomachs. Tell your visitors about the "No feeding the pets" rule.

Also be careful with Trick or Treaters this weekend, pets can escape through open doors or get into toxic foods and get very sick. Good time to have a puppy pen free standing in front of your door, you can open the door for trick or treaters and the pets stay in.

Winter

Beware of antifreeze!!! In just tiny amounts about 1/4tsp for a small dog or cat and 2tsp for a large dog is deadly if ingested. Clean up spills immediately, store chemicals securely away from pets, and look for products containing propylene glycol instead of ethylene glycol.

Bring all pets indoors during frigid weather. Older, very young, or ill pets, pets not acclimated to the cold,and certain short haired breeds of dogs are especially sensitive to the cold. Trips outside should be kept brief to prevent frostbite.

Keep cats indoors. Free-roaming cats may curl up in wheel wells or under the warm hoods of cars. before starting the engine, bang on the hood or press the car horn to alert any sleeping animals.

Provide extra calories. Animals that are active outside may need extra nutritional calories in their diet to give them added energy needed in colder weather.This does not mean an excuse for extra "people food".

Shelter your pet!! If dogs spend time outside, they should be provided with proper shelter, which is dry and secure from the wind and weather. Fresh hay or cedar shavings provide dry bedding materials. The shelter should have a floor elevated from the ground.

Remove ice, snow,sand and salt. Thoroughly wipe off pets' foot pads and stomach fur with warm water when they come in from outside. Ice, rock salt and sand can be extremely irritating to animals skin.

Always supervise and keep your pet on a leash. Winter can spell trouble for pets that wander onto half frozen lakes and ponds. Plus, mounds of snow make it difficult to see animals running in the street.

Never leave your pet in the car. just as the sweltering heat of a car can kill pets, frigid temperatures can easily freeze pets do death. Never leave your pet in a running car.

Provide pets with a warm, draft free place to sleep. Caged pets, such as birds, hamsters and guinea pigs are especially sensitive to cold drafts. Keep cages in a warm dry area of the house.

Reprinted from WZZM 13 Advance Newspapers Weather Guide 2002