Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/halloween-decorations-hazardous-to-wildlife/
The countdown to Halloween has begun.
People around the country are decorating their homes and yards with festive decor, but wildlife rescues warn that some of the decorations are harmful to wild animals.
Pumpkins
Kids of all ages love to head to the pumpkin patch and pick out the perfect pumpkin to carve. While jack-o’-lanterns are the perfect porch decoration, they are also a source of food to wild animals.
People spend a lot of time and effort on their jack-o’-lanterns and want them to last as long as possible, so some use bleach to preserve them and deter animals from snacking on them.
But bleach is dangerous to wildlife.
Squirrels, raccoons, and deer are just a few animals who may nibble on your masterpiece.
A great alternative to bleach is vinegar. Use one part vinegar to 10 parts water to help preserve your pumpkin.
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Fake Spider Webs & Hanging Decorations
North Texas Wildlife Center states that pumpkins with bleach aren’t the only dangerous Halloween decoration. Every year, numerous animals become entangled in fake spider webs and hanging decorations. The wildlife center wrote, “Halloween related intakes are the result of an owl flying into a fake spiderweb, a squirrel ingesting bleach from a pumpkin, or animals consuming candy and their plastic wrappers and other scenarios.”
Candy
Candy and candy wrappers are dangerous to all animals, including our pets. Keep an eye out for dropped pieces in your yard and on your walk.
Recycle
After Halloween be sure to recycle your pumpkins and jack-o’-lanterns by feeding them to wildlife, but only if you didn’t use bleach.
Beautiful Disaster Animal Rescue posted, “Find woods or a field near you, smash them open and leave for the wildlife to eat. Pumpkin is safe for them and the seeds act as a natural dewormer. (Be sure to break them up so the deer don’t get their head stuck inside!)”
Many of the incidents wildlife rescues see around Halloween could have been avoided, so please examine your decorations and forgo the bleach on your pumpkin.
Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog
