Pets

Halloween Safety Tips: Your Guide to Getting the Treats Without the Tricks

The word Halloween probably brings to mind images of candy-filled pillowcases, cute little ones dressed up as mummies, princesses, or cowboys, and of course, lots of Jack-o-Lanterns. Many will spend “beggar’s night” preparing their children for a night of ghosts and candy and taking enough pictures to post the living room three times.

When it comes to your child’s safety, you probably imagine that they are smart enough to get by without you having to lecture them about looking both ways before crossing the street. This may not sound like light-hearted behavior, but frankly, how often is safety talked about in your family? Is it a priority? Are you going to go over some simple but life-saving safety guidelines? Probably not.

This Halloween there is more to fear than the ghosts, goblins and scary little monsters that run through the city – your child’s safety could be at risk. Before heading out for a trick-or-treating night, be sure to review a few simple safety tips with your kids:

1) Costumes: Make sure the Halloween costume is flame resistant and does not restrict movement or strange vision. Add reflective tape to your child’s costume – cool and safe. Other tips:

• Nat’l. Survey Finds More Can Be Done To Ensure Halloween Safety; More than 5 million children may have worn unsafe Halloween costumes. Source: The America’s Intelligence Wire http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-14078954_ITM

• Family briefs: Safe Halloween costumes. Source: The Wichita Eagle (Wichita, Kan.) (Via Knight-Ridder / Tribune News Service) http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-9704850_ITM

2) Candy: Inspect your child’s Halloween candy before allowing them to eat it and don’t trust homemade candy unless you know who and where it comes from. More tips to play it safe:

• CPSC urges safety for those who trick or treat on Halloween. Source: M2 Presswire http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-14171225_ITM

• California’s poison control system scares you with some Halloween safety tips. Source: PR Newswire http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-9838205_ITM

3) Strange Cunning Stray: On Halloween, children are encouraged to talk to strangers, making it difficult to differentiate between an adult who is harmless and one who is a threat. Car accidents involving pedestrians also hit record highs tonight. Read more:

• Scare some safety tips for Halloween. Source: Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Fort Worth, Texas) (via Knight-Ridder / Tribune News Service) http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-9703105_ITM

• AAA Chicago offers tips for a safe Halloween. Source: PR Newswire http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-14185066_ITM

• Six tips for a safe and fun Halloween. (Lifestyles) Source: Jet http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-14147826_ITM

4) Pets: Don’t you have children? Is Fido as good as family? Draw attention to your pet and keep it safe by putting on a lighted collar or leash. Also remember that sweets (especially chocolate) can be dangerous or even deadly for pets. More tips in the following articles:

• Safety tips for pets on Halloween. Source: The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC) http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-4853791_ITM

• ‘Howl-O-Ween’ going to the dogs; APPMA releases hot Halloween pet products and safety tips for an increasing number of pet treats or tricks. Source: Business Wire http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-13647630_ITM

• Iams company offers clever pet tricks for safe Halloween fun. Source: PR Newswire [http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-9816358_ITM]

• American Humane Association reminds pet owners to be careful this Halloween. Source: The America’s Intelligence Wire http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-9788452_ITM