Halloween is nearly here, and we’ve got just the game for you! It’s an imagination game called “Monster Mash.” Here’s how to play:
1. Think of some of your favourite animals. Then think of the cool things that help them survive – the ways they’re adapted to their environment. Maybe it’s a giraffe’s long neck that allows him to eat leaves at the tops of tall trees. Or perhaps it’s a chameleon’s colour-changing skin that lets her blend in with her surroundings.
2. Now grab a pencil and paper, and “mash” all of your animals together to create your “monster.” It’s just like discovering a new species! Look at the creature we came up with. She’s an eleturtcrabbitmonkat. She lives near lakes. How do you think her different adaptations allow her to fit into that environment? What does she eat? How does she move?
We’d love to see your creations! Send them to kids@spca.bc.ca, using the subject line “Monster Mash.” Feel free to tell us a little bit about your creature too, like his name, what he eats and where he lives. You can even fill out a special “Certificate of Discovery” for your new species!
Dressing up is one of the best things about Halloween. Because we like it so much, we tend to think our pets will too. But do animals really like wearing costumes?
The truth is, dressing up is not as much fun for our pets as it is for us. Most animals just don’t like it. Costumes can be uncomfortable for them to wear. They can also keep our pets from communicating properly. Animals use body language to “talk” to one another. But when their tails, fur or ears are covered, they can’t read each other’s signals. This can lead to confusion, fear and even aggression sometimes.
On Halloween, let pets wear what they look best in anyway – their “birthday suits”!
Fireworks are another great thing about Halloween – for us, though, not for animals! They can spook our pets and cause them to panic, run away or even dart into traffic.
While we can’t stop fireworks from going off, we can help our frightened pets get through the night with these tips:
• Keep all pets indoors, preferably in a quiet room where they won’t be disturbed by trick-or-treaters and can’t escape out of doors or windows. • Make sure pets have a place to hide if they want to, such as in a kennel, under a bed or in a cupboard. • Walk dogs during the day before the fireworks start. • At night, close windows and curtains and play music to help block out the fireworks. • Make sure pets have proper identification, just in case they do escape. • Comfort pets who seem scared to help them relax. Never punish them for being frightened!
It’s no secret: trick-or-treating probably tops the list of things we like most about Halloween! But did you know our huge hauls of candy and chocolate could really hurt our pets?
Candy can cause stomach upset and sometimes make pets seriously sick. Chocolate is especially dangerous because it contains theobromine (theo-bro-mean), which is toxic to cats and dogs but fine for people to eat.
Keeping our pets safe from Halloween treats doesn’t have to be tricky! Just put candy away where pets can’t reach it. Should a pet accidentally eat some, call the vet for advice on what to do next.
Guess what? Our pets don’t have to be left out of all our Halloween celebrations! Here are some treats you can make especially for them:
Doggy doughnuts Dogs will drool over these yummy doughnuts made in the microwave.
Bunny biscuits Rabbits are sure to flip for these pumpkin-flavoured treats!
Kitty cookies Cats will go crazy for these tasty cookies made with only one ingredient (or two, if you count love!).
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