Halloween Safety - Steps to Take For Keepng Children Safe While Trick Or Treating

Halloween is a much loved time of the year we associate with ghouls witches and spooky ghosts. It is also a time, similar to how we would celebrate bonfire night by lighting up the sky with fireworks. An entertainment program involving rockets, Catherine wheels or roman candles - needs to be carefully planned. Sadly, although a fabulous time for human fun it is not much fun for pets. Keep cats and dogs safe in the home, while field animals need sheltering. When preparing your to-do-list for Halloween night make sure you add the necessary precautions you need to take to ensure your children, your pets, and your guest's welfare.

Not wanting to spoil the fun but this is a prime time for accidents happening, in fact accidents dramatically increase when children trick-or-treat so bear this in mind.

Things you cannot afford to overlook if this Halloween night is to be an accident free zone.

The highlight of Halloween aside from trick and treating is dressing up, unfortunately dangers lurk that can be a hazard to your health from wearing Halloween costumes.

Tips to follow to stay safe:

1 If you have made your own Halloween costume or hired one then make sure they are flame retardant. And colorfast, so the color doesn't run if it rains.

2 Allow ample time for making adjustments to Halloween costumes if needed.

3 Halloween costumes need to be a sensible length to avoid tripping

4 Sew or stick reflective tape to your children`s outfits.

5 Avoid weighty masks no matter how good they look. Use make-up instead. Face cosmetics should be hypoallergenic and non-toxic.

6 Wear comfortable, practical shoes. As trick or treating involves a lot of walking and running in some cases.

7 When children are fully kitted up keep them away from lit candles and jack-o'-lanterns.

8 Replica swords, guns and knives can look so authentic that they put the fear of god up people. In the UK, fake guns can land you in trouble with the law. Make sure they're flexible and cannot harm anyone.

I think most parents today, who, although wish their child fun when trick and treating, - would rather have their kids stay at home to keep them safe. Kids are kids so therefore tradition upholds in the mind of a child. All we as protective parents can do is, "protect".

Trick-or-Treating Tips:

The most important thing is to have children supervised and accompanied by an adult while on their travels. If this is not possible and children are of a suitable age and can think sensibly then what you can do is to supply and give advice.

Have them carry a torch with new batteries.

Give them money for a phone call.

Organize kid groups to go trick and treating - so the kids are not going alone.

Set them a curfew and make sure they wear a watch. If the curfew is not met, then it gives you time to go searching. Allow for a little extra time, as kids get excited on seeing other little monsters and may forget time orders.

Plan their route so you know where they are at all times.

Tell them to stay on the pavement. Motorists will find it hard to see people wearing dark clothing unless wearing luminous armbands etc.

Tell the kids to respect people`s gardens and to trick or treat locally

Tell the kids to avoid unlit houses or not to accept an invite to go inside.

Give them a spare trick or treat bag -- in case their existing bag is overloaded with treats..

Tell them not to approach pets.

Tell them not to cut across yards and to stay in built up areas.

Warn them not to accept rides from strangers.

Tell the kids to be polite and say "thank you." This goes along way for getting treated well.

Be wary of sweets with loose wrappings, unwrapped or is homemade.

If you are still not sure about having the kids go out alone, propose an alternative like having a party instead.

Pet safety Tips:

Keep your pet in a quiet place away from trick-or-treaters and other Halloween activities. As much as we love the little horrors that come knocking, some little horrors, are, "horrors," and get a thrill from mistreating animals, sad I know but fact. Pets are habitual animals and could become frightened or agitated at the strangeness of what this particular night brings.

Make sure cats and dogs are collared or wearing ID tags in case of an accidental getaway while opening and shutting doors to trick or treaters.

Keep naked flame decorations like candles and jack-o'-lanterns out of kiddies and pet`s reach. Not only is the issue of getting burned serious, but the house can be under threat from fire if a candle is knocked over and goes unnoticed with all the excitement.

Do not leave hazard items around where your pet can chew on-like streamers and fake spider webs. If the house is electrically wired to light up, then place electric cord and cabling out of the way to avoid someone tripping over them.

Its funny how kids have nightmares watching scary movies but when it comes down to the meet and greet of the actual characters come October the 31st it's a horse of a different colour.

Funtime Halloween Costumes & More

5 Steps to Be a Perfect Pet Parent

A happy, healthy pet is a responsibility when you have taken the leap to become their parent. In return, your furry friend gives unconditional love and understanding. Therefore, if you are considering becoming a pet owner its best to take into account the steps below to help you become an excellent parent.

Step 1: Exercise and play with your pet each day for at least twenty-five minutes. Studies show that exercising 25 minutes a day will improve health and fitness of your pet. Just like humans, overweight dogs and cats are more likely to get a number of diseases and health problems, including diabetes, heart disease, skin conditions, liver disease, and joint problems. In turn, exercise and play reduces those costly trips to the veterinarian that we all dread. So remember a walk a day or a string to play keeps the vet trip away!

Step 2: Ensure your pet is warm in the winter months. If you have a dog or cat that loves to be outdoors and roams your property freely, remember these animals are domesticated. Like people, pets become accustomed to the warmth of the inside. Leaving your animal outside for extended periods of time in the winter can make them vulnerable to serious illness. Watch out for frostbite. Frostbite occurs when the pet's body gets cold and the blood from the extremities moves to the center of the body to keep warm. Ice crystals can form in the tissue of the ears, paws, or tail and damage it without revealing the damage for days. If you suspect your pet has frostbite, bring them into a warm environment. Soak the extremities in warm water for about 20 minutes (without rubbing) to melt the ice crystals and restore the circulation. Wrap them up in a blanket and take them to a veterinarian. If they spend too much time in cold temperatures, it can suffer from hypothermia, a condition in which the body temperature falls below normal. Symptoms of hypothermia include shivering, depression, lethargy and weakness. Eventually, the heart and breathing will slow down, the muscles will stiffen, and they will not respond to stimuli. Immediately get your pet warm and take it to a veterinarian.

Step 3: Read your pet food labels. It is very important to know what goes into your animal's food. The main idea when reading the labels on wet and dry food is to remember, if you can not pronounce the word then it is probably not good for your animal. Chemicals like Ethoxyquin, BHA, and BHT are preservatives and have been linked to numerous health problems. BHA and BHT are known to cause liver and kidney dysfunction. Ethoxyquin is suspected of causing cancer. Fortunately, there are many natural and organic pet foods on the market today and you can ask your local pet food supplier for more information.

Step 4: If you have kids, it is important to have a mutual respect between your children and pet. Remember that each member of the family needs boundaries. The children (all ages) must learn not to hit, poke, or pull on your animal. Supervising the children at all times with your animal is very important and can prevent accidents from happening. Although the hitting is not okay, your animal must not react in a vicious way. If this does happen consider speaking to an animal trainer referred by your local veterinarian. Having a pet and children can create a special friendship so setting the boundaries mentioned makes room for both family members to enjoy each other.

Step 5: Administer heartworm medication and make sure you are up to date with their vaccines. Heartworm is a severe infection transmitted by a mosquito and if not detected or prevented can be fatal for your pet. There are a variety of ways to preventing heartworm. Your animal's heartworm medication can consist of monthly tablets, chewables, topicals or a six-month injectable product available only for dogs. This medication is important especially if you intend to socialize your pet with other animals at pet parks or they are outside where there are a lot of mosquitoes. You can purchase the medicine at your local veterinarian office or online pet sites at discounted prices. Also, immunizing your pet with preventative pet vaccines to ward off dangerous diseases is necessary. Talk with your veterinarian and they can offer information on these regular rounds of pet vaccines. Also remember, if you are planning to go on vacation and board your animal, their vaccines must be up to date and have record of such.

These five steps are the responsibilities that constitute being a perfect parent. Be determined to make sure they have their updated medications and scheduled trips to the veterinarian. Ensure that there is mutual respect between your children and animals. Furthermore, make sure the food you are feeding your critter is a healthy choice, no chemicals! Lastly, take your dog for a walk or just play with your cats for at least 25 minutes a day. If you follow these steps, you are guaranteed to be a great pet parent of a happy and fit animal.

Article sent in by Ken Adamas - visit his site to save on pet products like electric dog fences and dog training collars.

4 Important Steps to Establishing Natural Pet Health

Certainly in my ten plus years as an advocate and active participant in the area of natural health for pets I have seen what was once an obscure niche market grow into one that almost everyone knows a little something about. This is a great thing as far as I am concerned with the advent of newer, higher quality products designed to treat everything from a bad attitude to chronic illnesses. But if someone asked you to define natural health for pets or natural medicine for pets what would you say?

For me natural health for pets is a combination of lifestyle, diet, and the use of natural medicine when called for. The whole premise of natural medicine is based on these five cornerstones: do no harm, nature has healing powers, identifying and treating the cause, prevention is the best cure and establish health and wellness. There are probably others but most would agree that it would be difficult to mount a viable argument against any of these five cornerstones. Next let's move on to four things that are very important in achieving natural pet health.

*Is your pet drinking enough water? Most pet owners would instinctively say "Yes" but water consumption can change due to many factors including age. One of the leading causes of illness in pets is bacterial infection entering through the urethra and binding to the urinary tract leading to bladder and possible kidney infection. Dehydration also puts a drag on the immune system opening the door for illness. There are many other potential problems as well so make sure your pet is drinking enough clean fresh water.

*Diet: A big part of natural health for pets revolves around diet and nutrition. The keyword here is balanced. For example diets too high in magnesium can cause bladder or kidney stones. On one of my recent trips to the pet food store I couldn't help but notice how specialized pet foods have become with specially formulated blends for senior citizen pets and youngsters alike. While you probably know this what you may not know that a recent study in dogs determined that feeding them three serving of vegetables a week dramatically reduced their chances of certain types of cancer. So make sure your pet children eat their vegetables.

*Exercise: One very important part of natural health for pets revolves around exercise. Research has shown that active pets are less likely to become ill. So take a few minutes every day to give a little love combined with exercise they will repay you many times over.

*Reduce stress: Research is starting to reveal that stress is one of the most dangerous and damaging obstacles in achieving natural health for pets. Animals are very sensitive. Take this into account the next time you move their food station or their environment is compromised in some way.

In summary, water, diet, exercise, and stress reduction is a good place to start in establishing a viable natural pet health plan. Additionally, many pet owners have found that homeopathic natural pet health remedies containing Echinacea and Astragalus are a good way to boost immune system function thus adding to the effectiveness of any natural pet health plan.

Robert D. Hawkins is an enthusiastic advocate for the use of natural health products and natural living with over 10 years experience in the field of natural pet health and wellness.
Learn more about natural remedies and natural health at Purchase Remedies.com