The CDC is Asking Pet Owners to Refrain from Dressing Up Their Chickens This Year Due to a Particular Strain of Salmonella

Louisiana resident Stephanie Morse treats chickens like family, and like any other family member, Morse’s chickens get costumes every Halloween.

"Their bare skin is exposed, I just like to put a sweater on them to keep them warm and comfortable, and some of them have more personality," Morse told CBS affiliate KNOE-TV.

But people like Morse are being told not to trick-or-treat with their chickens this Halloween. The CDC is asking pet owners to refrain from dressing up their chickens this year due to a particular strain of salmonella.

At least 92 people in 29 states have been infected with a strain of multidrug-resistant salmonella after coming into contact with raw chicken products. No deaths have been reported, but 21 of the sick patients have been hospitalized.

The CDC warned that people could be infected by handling live chickens. When dressing a chicken, whether in a Halloween costume or a sweater, it is easier for a person to come into contact with harmful bacteria that live on poultry, including salmonella.

The agency also warns, "Don't kiss your birds or snuggle them and then touch your face or mouth."

Despite this, Morse said that her chickens will continue to strut their stuff.



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Spook-Free Halloween Safety Tips For Your Pets

MIAMI (CBSMiami) — Halloween can be the spookiest night of the year, but keeping your pets safe doesn’t have to be tricky. There are simple, common sense precautions to keep your pet happy, healthy, and safe for your four-legged family member.

KEEP YOUR PET AT HOME in a safe, quiet room surrounded by his or her favorite bed and toys during Halloween festivities. Do not take them out to trick-or-treat and do not leave them outside in the yard or patio while children are going from house to house.

KEEP PETS AWAY FROM THE DOOR. During trick-or-treating hours pets can easily slip through the door when it’s opened to hand out candy. In addition, dogs may bite children out of fear or nervousness.

To read more on this story, click here: Spook-Free Halloween Safety Tips For Your Pets


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10 Halloween Safety Tips for Pets

Halloween can be a festive and fun time for children and families. But for pets? Let's face it, it can be a nightmare. Skip the stress and keep your pets safe this year by following these 10 easy tips.

1. Trick-or-treat candies are not for pets.
All forms of chocolate—especially baking or dark chocolate—can be dangerous, even lethal, for dogs and cats. Symptoms of chocolate poisoning may include vomiting, diarrhea, rapid breathing, increased heart rate, and seizures. Halloween candies containing the artificial sweetener xylitol can also be poisonous to dogs. Even small amounts of xylitol can cause a sudden drop in blood sugar and subsequent loss of coordination and seizures. “Xylitol ingestion can also cause liver failure in dogs, even if they don’t develop symptoms associated with low blood sugar,” adds Dr. Jennifer Coates, veterinary advisor with petMD. And while xylitol toxicity in cats has yet to be established, it's better to be safe than sorry.

To read more on this story, click here: 10 Halloween Safety Tips for Pets


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15 Fun Black Cat Facts

Halloween conjures images of pumpkins, bats, witches and, of course, black cats. But how much do you really know about them? Test your black cat knowledge with our 15 fun black cat facts!

1.  The Ancient Egyptians revered all cats as sacred, helpful and lucky. They were the symbol of Bastet, the cat-headed goddess of protection.

2.  Sometime during the Middle Ages, Europeans got the idea that black cats were associated with witchcraft. Some elderly, solitary women who often fed and cared for stray cats were misidentified as witches and the cats as their conspirators.

3.  In parts of England and Ireland, a black cat cross your path signifies good luck.

4.  Speaking of Great Britain, giving a cat to a bride in the English Midlands should bring good luck.

5.  In Scotland, a strange black cat arriving at your home means you may win the jackpot! A stray black cat arriving on your doorstep signals prosperity.

6.  If you’re German, you have to pay attention. If the cat crosses your path from right to left, that’s bad; left to right is good.

7.  If you’re a pirate, it gets even more complicated. If the black cat is walking toward you, it’s bad luck. If it’s walking away, that’s good. If the cat walks onto the ship and then back off, get off the ship because it’s going to sink.

8.  Fishermen and their wives saw black cats as good luck, with many keeping them on their ships or in their homes. Black cats became so highly valued that some could not afford them.

9.  In Japan, black cats are considered symbols of good luck, especially for single women. Owning a black cat is thought to attract potential suitors.

10. In Russia, all cats are viewed as lucky.

11. There is no one breed of black cat. There are 19 cat breeds in the Cat Fanciers Association directory that list “black” as a color option.

12. Many black cats have golden eyes, which is the result of their high melanin pigment content.

13. Black cats can be boys or girls, but more are male than female.

14. Black Cat Appreciation Day is August 17.

15. Black cats go with every décor, and, best of all, you can’t see their fur on your furniture!

Bonus round: It’s bad luck to walk under a ladder that a black cat just passed. However, we would also suggest that it’s just good common sense not to walk under any ladder, whether or not a cat of any color is nearby.

If you’re interested in adopting a black cat, know that many rescues suspend adoptions of black cats around Halloween. Many also advise keeping your black cat indoors on or near the Halloween holidays. It’s actually a good idea to keep all pets indoors on Halloween; the increased foot traffic, noises and costumes can be frightening to many pets.

Looking for the cat of your dreams? Adopt today! 


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Halloween Dangers to Dogs & Cats

During the week of Halloween, calls to the veterinarians at Pet Poison Helpline increase by 12 percent, making it the call center’s busiest time of year.   “Each year we experience a sharp increase in calls around Halloween, especially during the weekends surrounding the holiday,” said Ahna Brutlag, DVM, MS, assistant director at Pet Poison Helpline.

“Most often, these calls involve pets accidentally ingesting Halloween candy or décor. Chocolate is one of the most problematic candies as dogs and cats cannot metabolize it as well as people. Thus, it places them at risk for poisoning.”

The four most common food-related Halloween hazards for pets are chocolate, candy overindulgence, raisins and candy wrappers.

Is chocolate poisonous to dogs?

Of all candy, chocolate is one of the most toxic to pets. Over the past year, more than 1,100 calls to Pet Poison Helpline involved exposure to chocolate and 98 percent of them involved dogs. Many dogs are inherently attracted to the smell and taste of chocolate, making it a significant threat. In general, the darker and more bitter the chocolate, the more poisonous it is. The chemicals in chocolate that are dangerous to pets, methylxanthines, are similar to caffeine and more heavily concentrated in the darker varieties. In fact, a 50-pound dog can be sickened by ingesting only one ounce of Baker’s chocolate! On the other hand, it may take up to eight ounces, (half a pound) of milk chocolate to cause poisoning in that same sized dog. White chocolate contains very low amounts of methylxanthine and rarely causes poisoning. To avoid issues, keep Halloween candy well out of the reach of pets at all times. If you think your pet may have ingested chocolate, symptoms to watch for include vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, agitation, increased thirst, an elevated heart rate, and in severe cases, seizures.

To read more on this story, click here: Halloween Dangers to Dogs & Cats

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Bring Your Four Legged Friends to the Yards for a Very Barky Halloween Sunday, October 29 – 1-4 P.M.

Come out to The Yards Park for A Very Barky Halloween! Bring your pets in their Halloween best and enjoy pet costume contest (with prizes!) and parade down the Capitol Riverfront Runway, on-site pet adoption, and Bark-or-Treat throughout The Yards.

A Very Barky Halloween at The Yards
October 29, 2017
1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
The Yards
355 Water St SE
Washington, D.C. 2003


For more information, click here: Very Barky Halloween

The Yards

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Protect Black Cats This Halloween

It’s Halloween time, and black cats have always been associated with this spooky time of year. Ancient folklore depicts black cats as the familiars of witches, or even shape-shifting demons! (We have a black cat and we associate him with a cuddly bed, but I digress.)

Black cats are considered unlucky in many cultures, as the harbingers of misfortune. In some magic circles black cats are used IN spells, wah!!

So when the time of trickery comes around, it’s important to keep black cats safe from harm!

I’m not suggesting there is definitely a satanic cult in your neighborhood, but there is always mischief afoot on Halloween, whether it’s young people, drunk people, or young drunk people. Some revelers might even want a black cat as a prop for their costume, or party. Get the word out: Cats are not decorations!

To read more on this story, click here: Protect Black Cats This Halloween


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What To Do If Your Dog Eats Halloween Candy

Forget about witches and zombies; a seemingly innocuous bag of candy can be one of the scariest things that enters a dog owner’s home on Halloween. Calls to the Pet Poison Hotline increase twelve percent during the week of Halloween, making it the center’s busiest time of the year. We all know that chocolate can be deadly to dogs and other ingredients in candy – such as high amounts of sugar and fat – can also cause severe issues for our pup’s system. If a candy is sugar free, it may contain Xylitol which is extremely toxic and deadly to dogs, even in small amounts.

To read more on this story, click here: What To Do If Your Dog Eats Halloween Candy

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Melissa Rivers Dresses Up Joan Rivers Dogs' For Halloween

When Joan Rivers died at 81, she left behind four dogs: Teegan, Mikey, Lola and Sam.

The comedian's daughter, Melissa, has taken them in and even dressed them up for Halloween.

"Happy Halloween: Teegan the frankfurter, Princess Lola, Sam the alligator, Mikey the pumpkin. #melrivers #joanrivers," she wrote on Instagram, next to a photo of the dogs.


To read more on this story, click here: Melissa Rivers Dresses Up Joan Rivers Dogs' For Halloween

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 at: www.whispersoftheworld.com

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What A Black Cat Really Thinks About Halloween

Henri really does have it rough. After all, a black cat isn’t looked upon favorably this time of year. Watch as he tries to make sense of the “folly” of Halloween. Too funny!

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 at: www.whispersoftheworld.com

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ASPCA Top 10 Safety Halloween Tips for Pet Parents

Attention, animal lovers, it's almost the spookiest night of the year! The ASPCA recommends taking some common sense precautions this Halloween to keep you and your pet saying "trick or treat!" all the way to November 1.


To read more on this story, click here: ASPCA Top 10 Safety Halloween Tips for Pet Parents


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Former Puppy Mill Dog Experiences a Bed for the First Time (Video)

Delilah spent 9 years living in a wire cage in a puppy mill until she was saved by National Mill Dog Rescue. This video shows her experiencing a bed for the first time in her life.

Puppy mills are large-scale dog operations that are notorious for breeding dogs without considering the well-being of the animals. Puppy mill dogs experience endless suffering and little to no care while living in breeding facilities.

Fortunately for Delilah, her time in a mill ended in early October, and it’s all thanks to the National Mill Dog Rescue. After living in a wire cage for nine years, this pooch sure is excited to see her first real bed. The softness of the padding and the warmth of the fabric definitely has Delilah’s approval. This lucky pooch won’t be sleeping in any more wire cages from now on!

Clearly, puppy mills aren’t exactly the most comfortable place for our four legged friends to end up in, but unfortunately, with 2,000 to 3,000 USDA-licensed breeders (aka legal  puppy mills, according to the ASPCA), there could be around 10,000 puppy mills operating in the United States. You can help prevent the proliferation of puppy mills by always choosing to adopt and not shop for a furry friend. For more information, visit the National Mill Dog Rescue website.

Please consider making a donation so more dogs can have the chance to learn about soft beds and most importantly, love: http://milldogrescue.org/donate/.

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Howl-O-Ween Adoption Special – October 31 to November 1:Washington Humane Society Hosts $31 Dog Adoptions and $10 Cat Adoptions

Washington, DC – The Washington Humane Society (WHS) is getting in the Halloween spirit and offering reduced adoption fees on cats and dogs! From Friday, October 31 through Saturday, November 1, dog adoption fees will be reduced to $31 (normally $170) and cat adoption fees will be reduced to $10 (normally $85).

Despite the long-standing myth that animals are at risk of potentially dangerous or failed adoptions around Halloween, many animal welfare organizations like WHS are finding that this is not true. All animals, including black cats and dogs, can find loving homes during any time of the year!

All pets adopted from WHS go home spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped. Our standard adoption interview and approval process applies to all adoptions, and a $15 DC dog license fee is required for dogs adopted by DC residents.

WHAT: “Howl-O-Ween” Adoption Special

WHEN: Friday, October 31, 2014 to Saturday, November 1, 2014
                12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

WHERE: Washington Humane Society Adoption Centers
                1201 New York Avenue, NE
                7319 Georgia Avenue, NW

                SPECIAL: $31 dog adoption fees, $10 cat adoption fees

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Get Your FREE! Pumpkin Carving Stencils of Your Favorite Dog Breed

Let your friends and neighbors know which dog breed is best by carving a Halloween pumpkin that looks like your favorite canine.

To view and get stencils, click here, to download: Pumpkin-Carving Stencils of Favorite Dog Breeds

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