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Halloween night in Lubbock: Safety tips for trick-or-treaters and the pets staying home

By HCUncovered
A fluffy golden dog wearing an orange pumpkin costume that leaves its face uncovered stands on a sidewalk.
A dog in a pumpkin costume that leaves its face uncovered. Photo: Petful via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)

Halloween is here, and so is the good weather. After a soggy week, the National Weather Service expects a dry, partly cloudy night in Lubbock. Winds will be light, and temperatures should drop toward a low near 57. Sunset is at 6:56 p.m., so most trick-or-treating will happen after dark.

Texas Tech also hosts Arizona at 11 a.m. today, so expect a busy Saturday. Here’s a quick refresher from Lubbock police on keeping kids safe tonight, plus advice from national pet poison experts for the four-legged family members staying home.

Tips for trick-or-treaters from Lubbock police

Lubbock Police Department spokesperson Kasie Davis shared these reminders with KCBD ahead of the weekend:

  • Be seen. Wear bright or reflective costumes or clothing. If you don’t have reflective gear, carry a glow stick or flashlight so drivers can spot you.
  • Stay in small groups. Davis suggested groups of about five or six.
  • Look both ways before crossing.
  • Pick a meeting spot in case anyone gets separated.
  • Check the candy before anyone takes a bite, and toss anything that doesn’t look right.
  • Consider going earlier in the evening, since Tech is also playing Saturday.

If you see something suspicious, LPD asks you to call its non-emergency line, 806-775-2865. For emergencies, call 911. The Texas Department of Public Safety has its own statewide Halloween safety list that’s worth a look, too. If you’d rather skip the streets, our trunk-or-treat list has options all weekend. Times and places can change, so check with organizers before you head out.

Why Halloween is a busy week for pet poison lines

Pet Poison Helpline, a 24/7 animal poison control service, says its calls go up during Halloween week. Chocolate has been the most common reason people call for more than a decade. The ASPCA says darker chocolate and baking chocolate are the most dangerous.

A few other things worth knowing, according to the ASPCA and Pet Poison Helpline:

  • Xylitol, a sugar substitute in some sugar-free gum and candy, can be dangerous to dogs. Pet Poison Helpline notes it may also be listed as “birch sugar.”
  • Raisins, a common “healthier” handout, are toxic to dogs.
  • Wrappers and sticks can cause blockages if a pet gulps down candy whole.
  • Glow sticks are especially tempting for cats, which account for most glow-stick calls, according to Pet Poison Helpline.
  • Lilies in fall bouquets are dangerous to cats.
  • Moldy pumpkins should go in the trash, not the yard where a dog can find them.

The simplest fix is to keep the candy bowl and the kids’ haul up high and out of reach. Both groups also say not to try to make your pet vomit unless a veterinarian or poison control expert tells you to.

Doorbells, costumes and candles

Doorbells and strangers in masks can stress even easygoing pets. The ASPCA recommends keeping pets in a separate, quiet room away from the front door during peak trick-or-treat hours, so they don’t dart outside. Make sure your pet is wearing a collar with current ID tags just in case.

If you’re thinking about a pet costume, the ASPCA suggests skipping it unless your pet truly enjoys it. If you do dress them up, make sure it doesn’t restrict movement, sight or breathing and doesn’t have small dangling pieces they could chew. Keep lit jack-o’-lanterns and decoration cords where tails and curious noses can’t reach.

Who to call in Lubbock

If you think your pet ate something it shouldn’t have, call a veterinarian right away. Don’t wait for symptoms.

  • Lubbock Small Animal Emergency Clinic, 6305 66th St., Suite 300, is open 24 hours a day, every day. The clinic’s website lists (806) 797-6483.
  • ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center: (888) 426-4435. The ASPCA says a consultation fee may apply.
  • Pet Poison Helpline: 855-764-7661. The service’s website lists a $99 per-incident fee, which covers follow-up consultations.
  • Lost pet? Lubbock Animal Services is at 3323 SE Loop 289 and can be reached at 806-775-2057. The city’s Animal Services page has lost-and-found tips, including checking the shelter in person regularly.

Hub City UnCovered asked whether lost-pet cases rise around Halloween and how owners can quickly check if their pet was picked up. Lubbock Animal Services didn’t answer those questions by Friday’s noon deadline, but the department did reply Saturday with details on today’s adoption event, below.

Looking to adopt? LAS is out today

Lubbock Animal Services is holding an adoption event today, Saturday, Oct. 31, from noon to 4 p.m. at PetsPlus, 6419 University Ave., according to the City of Lubbock’s Oct. 30 weekly release. “All of our adoptions are free, and we are also giving out free microchips,” Angelica Barbosa with Lubbock Animal Services told Hub City UnCovered on Saturday. For details, call the LAS adoption center at 806-775-2057.

A cozy way to help this week

Cooler nights are on the way. The Lubbock nonprofit Paws of Change told KCBD on Oct. 27 that its Howl-Oween Blanket Drive was in its final days, but it didn’t give an end date, so check the group’s Facebook page before you drop anything off. The drive has been collecting new or gently used blankets, towels, linens, pet beds and sweaters for pet pantries and shelters across the South Plains. As of Oct. 27, drop-off boxes were at Community National Bank (11807 Slide Rd.), Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming South (11430 Quaker Ave. #700), Urban Pet Co. (4505 98th St. #240), Regal Pet Resort (14110 FM 1730), and Live Oak Midtown (4808 50th St.) and South (11302 Indiana Ave.).

Have a safe, happy Halloween, Lubbock. Keep the candy up high and the porch lights on.

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