Pet Costumes Are Hot at Party City This Howl-Oween

Business Wire, Oct 17, 2005

ROCKAWAY, N.J. -- It was only a matter of time before man's best friend was invited to join the Halloween festivities; after all, he is man's best friend. A four-legged Caped Crusader may be coming to a party near you.

According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), Halloween spending is projected reach $3.9 billion this year. Pet costumes, as well as people costumes, accessories and party items, are on an increasing number of Americans' holiday shopping lists. Pet costume contests and parties have become popular nationwide.

"Each year we've increased our selection of pet costumes as growing numbers of pet owners decide to make their Halloween celebrations truly a family affair," said Lisa Laube, Chief Merchandising Officer at Party City, the largest party goods retailer in the U.S. "Halloween is a fun and exciting holiday for all ages and types of people and now, pets."

At Party City, pet costume sales have increased dramatically in recent years. Pet owners can find pet costumes such as favorite characters Superman, Darth Vader and Batman, in addition to angels, cowboys, princesses and more in Party City stores.

Marc Morrone, host of TV show Petkeeping and co-owner of Parrots of the World, believes that pets can enjoy participating in Halloween almost as much as pet owners.

"Pets will do whatever it takes to get attention and if a pet is comfortable wearing a costume then it quickly learns that when the costume is on it gets more attention from the humans it loves," said Morrone. "Any dog wearing a costume and wagging its tail is a testament to that."

On Halloween, safety is usually an issue on parents' minds. Now the concern extends to pet owners as increasing numbers include their pets in their Halloween festivities. Party City has gathered the following pet safety tips to help keep pets safe this Halloween.

--If you plan to dress up your pet, buy the costume in advance and leave it out so your pet has a chance to see it and get used to it before wearing it for the first time.

--If you put a mask of some type on your animal, make sure that the eyeholes are big enough to allow peripheral vision.

--As much as your dog or cat may beg for some of your Halloween candy, always remember that chocolate is deadly to them in any amount.

--If your dog eats chocolate, immediately call the Animal Poison Control hotline at 1-900-680-0000. Post this number by your phone or on your refrigerator so it can be easily located in an emergency.

--There are many recipes for homemade dog and cat treats that are healthy. Check out spoiledrottendoggies.com for recipes.

--Be sure to carefully dispose of candy wrappers, which can get stuck in your pet's digestive tract and cause illness or death.

--Don't leave Jack-o-lanterns where they can be knocked over by a swinging tail or by a curious cat.

--All but the most social dogs and cats should be kept in a separate room during peak trick-or-treating hours or during parties. Too many strangers in unusual garb can be scary and stressful for pets.

--Don't leave your pets unattended on Halloween.

About Party City

Party City Corporation is America's largest party goods chain. Party City currently operates 249 Company-owned stores and has 254 franchise stores in the United States and Puerto Rico. To learn more about Party City, call 1-800-477-4841 or visit the Company's website at http://www.partycity.com.