BIRDS FOR ADOPTION PHOTO ALBUM GUEST BOOK

Jack-o'-lanterns, trick-or-treaters, haunted houses and costume parties. Halloween is full of fun things for you and your family to enjoy, but it's one of those holidays that is enjoyed more by people than by pets. Keep the following precautions in mind when preparing for the frightfully fun festivities and help ensure that everyone in your family—including your pet—has a safe Halloween.

Keep your pet in a quiet place, away from trick-or-treaters and other Halloween activities. You may know that the miniature monsters and goblins who come knocking on Halloween aren't real, but pets don't. Dogs birds and cats are creatures of habit and could become frightened or agitated by the unaccustomed sights and sounds of costumed visitors. In addition, frequently opened doors provide a perfect opportunity for escape, which can go unnoticed during all the commotion. Be sure all pets are wearing collars and ID tags in case of an accidental getaway.

Place live flame decorations like candles and jack-o'-lanterns out of your pet's reach. Curious critters risk being singed or burned by the flame—they could also easily knock over a candle or pumpkin and cause a fire.

Keep candy away from pets. All those sweets may taste great to critters, but candy, especially chocolate, can be toxic to pets. Candy wrappers can also be harmful if swallowed. Instead, tempt your pet with a few of his favorite treats.

Resist the urge to put your bird in a costume or have them be a part of the costume. You may think your bird looks adorable dressed as a parrot as part of your pirate costume, but most birds don't like to be outside at night or where their are strange noises and over activity. If you do decide to play dress-up, make sure the costume is safe for your pet and doesn't constrain her movement, hearing or ability to breathe. Check the costume for parts your pet could chew off and choke on and look for dangling pieces like flowing capes that could injure her.

Don't let the family bird to accompany the kids by being allowed to sit on their shoulders when their on trick-or-treat outing. Children may have a difficult time handling a pet during the festivities and your pet could get loose, especially if your pet is spooked by the strange sights and sounds of trick-or-treaters.

Keep decorations that pets could chew on—like streamers and fake spider webs—and wires and cords from electric decorations out of reach. If pets chomp on Halloween decorations they could choke or become ill and, if they chew on electrical cords, they risk a potentially deadly electrical shock. Pets could also become tangled and injured by dangling cords or decorations.

The scene has been replayed so often in popular culture that it has come to symbolize the holidays as much as tinsel and candy canes: A shopper, with freshly wrapped packages bulging out of two different bags, casually walks by a pet store window as the snow falls gently around her. The birdies behind the glass, madly scramble over each other trying to capture the shopper's attention. The temptation is too great. The shopper whisks into the store and impulsively purchases an bird for her beloved.

The classic Hollywood scene, unfortunately, has roots in reality. This season, many shoppers will buy a bird, to give to a friend or loved one. Their motivations can be as varied as the snowflake: Some will buy an bird on impulse, some because they're caught up in the spirit of the season, and some just because the birdie looks so darn cute in the pet shop window.

Adding a pet to the family is a serious, long-term commitment. It's a decision that needs input from everyone who would be involved in caring for the animal.

There are many questions that need to be considered thoughtfully: What type of animal would have a personality most compatible with a person or family? Who would be the primary caregiver of the pet? How much will it cost to feed and provide veterinary care? Who would look after the animal during trips? Could someone be allergic to the pet? It is extremely important that the primary pet caregiver—whether it's you, a friend or loved one—is 100% involved in the adoption process.

Instead of buying a bird as a gift, consider waiting to adopt a pet after the holidays. You could even build some excitement for a post-holiday adoption. You could give a loved one a "gift certificate" from a local shelter, or a snapshot of a shelter pet, or even a stuffed animal representing a shelter pet—all which can be used as "passports" to adopt an animal later. You could also wrap up some useful pet supplies—a dog bowl, a cat collar, a scratching post, or an exercise wheel for a hamster or gerbil (animals that are popular during the holidays)—and give those as "passports" as well.

This not only promotes responsible adoption, but provides a little fun, too. After the holidays, if your loved ones decide they are indeed willing and able to adopt a pet, you can bring them down to the local shelter where they can use their "passport" to adopt their new friend.

Rescues and shelters too often bear the brunt of these unexpected gift decisions. When the recipient decides the pet is not that cute anymore, or too much work, or they just weren't ready for the responsibility, it is often the local shelter that takes in these animals. And because so many shelters are already filled to capacity, unless other animals are adopted out to make room for the new ones, euthanasia is a possible ending to an already sad tale.

If you're thinking about becoming a pet owner you must also consider the place from which you will obtain your pet. Many pet stores purchase their animals from mass-breeding operations so bent on making a profit that they often disregard the physical, social, and emotional well-being of the animals in their facilities. Mill-raised animals can suffer from severe physical and emotional ailments, and some may even die. The only way to put these facilities out of business is to hit them where it hurts: in the wallet. Don't purchase an animal from a pet store.

Instead, head to your local animal shelter and rescue group, which are wonderful places to find a new pet. Nationwide, one out of every four shelter and rescues has dozens of animals currently awaiting good homes, too. Most of these animals and have received all their vaccinations and up-to-date veterinary checkups. Rescues also screen animals for adoption so they can be sure of a perfect family match.

to add a new pet to any family. Just wait until after the gifts have been opened and the New Year's corks have been popped. Your decision to wait may be the best gift you give your family this holiday season.

PSSST, DID YOU REMEMBER TO SIGN THE GUEST BOOK??

Sign Our Guestbook

DROP US AN EMAIL

-A man took his bird to the avian vet because it had been sick. The vet said, "I have good news and I have bad news. The bad news is, your bird has chirpees. The good news is, it's tweetable."

-A young magician started to work on a cruise ship with his pet parrot. The parrot would always give away the tricks saying things like, "he has a card up his sleeve" or "he has a dove in his pocket." One day the ship sank and the magician and the parrot found themselves alone on a lifeboat. For a couple of days, they just sat there looking at each other. Finally, the parrot broke the silence and said, "Okay, I give up. What did you do with the ship?"

-One day a man went to an auction. While there, he bid on an exotic parrot. He really wanted this bird, so he got caught up in the bidding. He kept on bidding, but kept getting outbid, so he bid higher and higher and higher. Finally, after he bid way more than he intended, he won the bid - the fine bird was finally his! As he was paying for the parrot, he said to the Auctioneer, "I sure hope this parrot can talk. I would hate to have paid this much for it, only to find out that he can't talk!" "Don't worry", said the Auctioneer, "He can talk. Who do you think kept bidding against you?"

-Ingredients: -Turkey -Stuffing -Sweet Potatoes -Mashed Potatoes with Gravy -Green Beans -Cranberry Sauce -Hot rolls and Butter -Relish tray -Pumpkin Pie with Whipped Cream -Hot Coffee

-Get up early in the morning & have a cup of coffee. It's going to be a long day, so place your Parrot on a perch nearby to keep you company while you prepare the meal.

-Prepare stuffing, and remove Parrot from edge of stuffing bowl and return him to perch.

-Stuff turkey & place it in the roasting pan, and remove Parrot from edge of pan and return him to perch. Have another cup of coffee to steady your nerves.

-Remove Parrot's head from turkey cavity and return him to perch, and restuff the turkey.

-Prepare relish tray, and remember to make twice as much so that you'll have a regular size serving after the Parrot has eaten his fill. Remove Parrot from kitchen counter and return him to perch.

-Prepare cranberry sauce, discard berries accidentally flung to the floor by Parrot.

-Arrange sweet potatoes in a pan & cover with brown sugar & mini marshmallows. Remove Parrot from edge of pan and return him to perch. Replace missing marshmallows.

-Brew another pot of coffee. While it is brewing, clean up the torn filter. Pry coffee bean from Parrot beak. Have another cup of coffee & remove Parrot from kitchen counter and return him to perch.

-Place roasted turkey on a large platter, and cover beak marks with strategically placed sprigs of parsley.

-Put mashed potatoes into serving bowl, rewhip at last minute to conceal beak marks and claw prints.

-Place pan of sweet potatoes on sideboard, forget presentation as there's no way to hide the areas of missing marshmallows.

-Put rolls in decorative basket, remove Parrot from side of basket and return him to perch.

-Set a stick of butter out on the counter to soften - think better and return it to the refrigerator.

-Wipe down counter to remove mashed potato claw tracks. Remove Parrot from kitchen counter and return him to perch.

-Cut the pie into serving slices. Wipe whipped cream off Parrot's beak and place large dollops of remaining whipped cream on pie slices.

-Whole slices are then served to guests, beaked-out portions should be reserved for host & hostess.

-Sit down to a nice relaxing dinner with your family - accompanied by plaintive cries of "WANT DINNER!" from the other room.

-Long ago lived a seaman named Captain Bravo. He was a manly man's man who showed no fear in facing his enemies. One day, while sailing the seven seas, a lookout spotted a pirate ship and the crew became frantic. Captain Bravo bellowed, "Bring me my red shirt."

-The First Mate quickly retrieved the captain's red shirt and while wearing the bright frock he led his mates into battle and defeated the pirates. Later on, the lookout spotted not one, but two pirate ships. The captain again howled for his red shirt and once again they vanquished the pirates. That evening, all the men sat around on the deck recounting the day's triumphs and one of the them asked the captain: "Sir, why did you call for your red shirt before battle?"

-The captain replied: "If I am wounded in the attack, the shirt will not show my blood, and thus, you men will continue to resist, unafraid." All of the men sat in silence and marveled at the courage of such a man's manly man.

-As dawn came the next morning, the lookout spotted not one, not two, but TEN pirate ships approaching. The rank and file all stared in worshipful silence at the captain and waited for his usual reply. Captain Bravo gazed with steely eyes upon the vast armada arrayed against his mighty sailing ship and, without fear, turned, and calmly shouted: "Get me my brown pants."

-It looks like the pig is saying something profound and the hen and goat are listening with such intellegence and understanding.