“We do this every year,” Barbara O’Reilly said as a very enthusiastic Zoie strained at her leash to see what was going on at the front of the line. “It’s just a fun way to celebrate Halloween.”
From poodles dressed as pirates to pit bulls dressed as princesses, the parade of animals and owners were lined up along the whole length of the store for more than an hour, waiting to get their pets’ photos taken.
“We always have a good turnout,” said store manager John Swader, as he quickly framed the photos taken at the event. “It’s better than the company standard.”
Many costumes were purchased while others were more elaborate, such as the Dorothy and Toto costume modeled by 15-year-old Logan Butcher and her 8-month-old Chihuahua, Piggy.
“It was my mom’s idea,” Logan said, holding Piggy in a basket. Her mother, Jennifer, made the Toto costume by taking apart a stuffed dog, making it a jumper for Piggy to slip into.
While Piggy’s furry outfit will keep her cozy warm, pet owners need to watch that their pets don’t get too hot or too cold Halloween night, said PetSmart pet trainer Michelle Shelly. “And you want to make sure there’s nothing on their costume that they can pluck off and eat, like buttons and things.”
Chocolate and other Halloween treats should be kept away from the pets as well, said staff member Dawn Skomrock.
“Make sure the treats you have are for dogs,” she said. “You can kill your dog with chocolate.”
About the Author