Halloween is enjoyed by children of all ages. It’s just around the corner, so as you plan for both a fun and safe Halloween for your family, it is also important to take special care of our four-legged friends.

Like any holiday, Halloween comes with its own set of hazards for pets. APS-FH wants to help you make sure your pets stay safe during the holiday. Check out our Halloween tips and learn more about how you can have fun with your pets while keeping them safe and healthy.

While glow sticks may be used to help keep kids safe outside in the dark, they are dangerous to pets. Pets, especially cats, find glow sticks to be great fun and often bite and puncture them. While most glow sticks are labeled as non-toxic, they do have an extremely bitter taste. Pets who bite into them may begin drooling and racing around the house. A little treat or sip of milk will usually stop the taste and reaction.

Dressing up in costume and taking a neighborhood stroll can be a fun family affair when our furry friends are involved. There’s just a couple of things you’ll want to keep in mind.

Pet costumes can add to the fun and can make for some incredible photos– but only if done safely and if it doesn’t cause your pet stress. We recommend that you don’t put your dog or cat in a costume unless you know he or she loves it, and don’t put them in any costume that has dangling, loose parts or headpieces. If you do dress up your pet for Halloween, make sure the costume does not limit his or her movement, sight or ability to breathe, bark or meow.

Check the costume carefully for small, dangling or easily chewed-off pieces that could present a choking hazard. Ill-fitting outfits can get twisted on external objects or around your pet, leading to injury. So, be sure to have your pet try on the costume before the big night. If he or she seems distressed or shows abnormal behavior, consider letting your pet wear his or her “birthday suit” or don a festive bandana instead.

Costume accessories are the best way to complete your boo-tiful look, and small toys are lots of fun for kids. Unfortunately, they are also appealing to pets. Small toys or costume accessories pose a choking hazard to our four-legged friends and the plastic can be toxic. Be sure to keep items like these out of “paws-reach.”

Pet IDs can be a lifesaver in finding a lost pet on Halloween – or any day of the year! Tags don’t have to be boring, either. There are plenty of fun, cute and even Halloween-themed pet IDs to pick from!

On Halloween, there are a lot of extra people on the streets and that, combined with strange costumes, can spook pets and cause them to bolt. If you take your pet out after dark, make sure he or she wears a reflective collar, is securely leashed, and has proper identification attached.

Whether you prefer chocolate or gummies, candy is for trick-or-treaters, not our pets. Several popular Halloween favorites are toxic to pets. Chocolate in all forms—especially dark or baking chocolate—can be very dangerous for cats and dogs. Sugar-free candies containing the sugar substitute xylitol, may be OK for humans, but can be life threatening for dogs when ingested. In order to keep your pets safe, double check that you left your candy bowls and bags on high counters so they cannot get to them.

Pets deserve treats too! Treats, including festive ones with pumpkin (canned pumpkin, NOT canned pumpkin pie mix), are perfectly fine to give to your pets. But be sure to read any labels on products you are unsure about before giving it to your pets. Some pet-safe pumpkin recipes are suggested below.

If you suspect your pet has ingested something toxic, please call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 immediately.

The key to safely enjoying any holiday with your furry friend is prevention. Keep toxic items well out of reach and ensure that you are prepared for whatever activities you have planned. And please remember, accidents can happen in an instant!

Note: Make sure you offer only canned pureed pumpkin, NOT canned pumpkin pie mix, which has added sugars and spices. As with any treat, give your dog these snacks in moderation.

1 cup plain yogurt

1 cup pumpkin puree

2 cups flour

1 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 cup peanut butter (Xylitol-free)

On August 29th, a massive Category 4 hurricane named Ida made landfall, pummeling the South. Hurricane Ida cut a deadly path through the region, destroying businesses and neighborhoods, and leaving hundreds of thousands without power. The state of Louisiana was one of the hardest hit.

Part of our mission at the Animal Protection Society - Friday Harbor is to network with other shelters and pet rescue groups impacted by natural disasters to help save lives. When presented with a connection from a valued donor to assist with Hurricane Ida disaster relief, APS-FH jumped at the opportunity to help!

APS-FH was connected with the Greater Good Charities, which was responsible for arranging an emergency airlift of dogs and cats from Louisiana shelters to the Pacific Northwest. These pets were already available for adoption at shelters prior to the storm hitting and therefore were prioritized for transport out. This lifesaving transport would free up space in Louisiana shelters to accept incoming displaced pets from the storm - allowing more space and time for them to reunite with their owners.

A lot of quick coordinating had to be done to make sure the animals were prepared to fly: sourcing shelters in need, preparing and approving animals to fly, coordinating the actual flight, and making sure there were enough “receiving” groups ready to find them their forever homes.

Through a shared online spreadsheet (Google Docs), seven Louisiana “sending" shelters connected their available pets with six Pacific Northwest “receiving" shelters/rescues. As a result, a total of over 95 animals found placement from across the country.

The emergency airlift was organized through Greater Good Charities’ Good Flights Program, with the flight fully funded through IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare) to fly the over 95 dogs and cats from Baton Rouge Louisiana to the Pacific Northwest. Flight details were given last minute. (We received confirmation just three days in advance.)

After a great deal of coordination and efforts from Greater Good Charities’ Good Flights Program, the sending shelters, the receiving shelters, and IFAW, the life-saving flight landed safely at Paine Field in Everett, WA on September 10th, 2021.

Thanks to this incredible effort and national network of animal advocates, Flitwick, Cookie, Tribble, Hula Hoop, T-Boy (dogs), Opal, and Kirby (cats) will now be calling the Pacific Northwest their forever home!

Marko connected with APS-FH through our home furnishings resale store, “Treasure Hounds." After purchasing a table and chair set, Marko noticed a couple struggling to get their own purchase into their car. He went over to help and then left his phone number with the volunteer store clerk saying, “if anyone ever needs help again, call me, I feel I was born to move furniture."

Well, that is an offer we couldn’t pass up! It didn’t take long before we were calling Marko for help. Since that day Marko has helped to build storage shelves in the back of the store, move furniture around (for hours!) during a store revamp, load numerous people’s purchased items into their vehicles, and coordinate the pick up of furniture donations from donors' homes. He even introduced his wife Yoshi to APS-FH who is now a weekly volunteer at Treasure Hounds.

Marko is generous with his time and willing to do the hard work - it is not everyday we meet someone who was “born to move furniture." Thank you Marko for being there for the staff and animals of APS-FH. You are making a difference!

After serving on the board of directors for six years, the last two as President, it’s time to say goodbye. It’s been a privilege to share these years with so many dedicated people, all playing their part to save the lives of cats and dogs!

I’m SO proud of our shelter! Thank you past President Carolyn Haugen, your leadership allowed me to stand on the shoulders of a giant. All of my fellow board members have given their time, energy, wisdom, and talents generously. The staff constantly go above and beyond to help the animals.

Our donors never cease to amaze me with their generosity. What would we do without you? I often joke that the animals can’t raise their own money.

Our volunteers have such huge hearts and they help out in so many ways. From transporting animals, helping in surgery recovery, walking dogs, petting cats, and working at Treasure Hounds, when we need help, they’re there.

Speaking of Treasure Hounds, I’ll still be volunteering there every Thursday. Come in to donate furniture and housewares, visit, or buy something! I look forward to seeing you.

I can’t believe how far the shelter has come in the last six years. We’ve moved from a woefully inadequate building on land we didn’t own, to our wonderful new home. We have a great executive director, Cristin Felso. We’ve helped more dogs and cats than I could possibly keep track of.

Those cats and dogs are what keep me working so hard. Each time I see one going to their forever home, the joy in their eyes, and the happiness in the eyes of the adopter it reminds me why we do what we do!

To Peggy Cregor, our next President, you’re going to do a great job. Know I’ll be there for you always!

When feeding your dog pumpkin, make sure you offer only canned, pureed pumpkin, NOT canned pumpkin pie mix, which has added sugars and spices.

shelter@apsfh.com • (360) 378-2159 • www.apsfh.com