Entertainment

TREATS, TRICKS

‘Tis the season for New York’s animal-welfare groups and assorted pro-pet posses to start fund-raising, and many of this month’s festive events have – surprise – a Halloween theme. Before we detail the whats, wheres and whens, a few words to the wise: When dressing dogs to the canines, please take care that the costume you select isn’t too tight and doesn’t obstruct Fido’s breathing passages or vision. When carving pumpkins, avoid a fire hazard by illuminating jack-o’-lanterns with a flashlight instead of a candle. Also, keep all Halloween candy far from furry snouts – especially chocolate, which is deathly toxic to pets. And clean up the trick-or-treat zone. Dogs may ingest discarded candy wrappers and suffer intestinal blockages. Now for the fun part: In Brooklyn, the Park Users and Pets Society (PUPS) sponsors the ninth annual Great PUPkin Dog Costume Contest on Saturday in Fort Greene Park. Registration starts at 11:30 a.m., with a suggested donation of $5. To see photos of past costumed canines, visit fort- greenepups.org. In The Bronx, Van Cortlandt Park’s Canine Court hosts its annual “Howl-o-ween” hullabaloo next Sunday at noon. The big draw here is the hilarious dog/owner look-alike contest, and the $10 admission fee goes to support the upkeep of Canine Court’s dog playground (enter at Broadway and 252nd Street). Meanwhile, back in Manhattan, also next Sunday at noon, Animal Haven SoHo is throwing a Halloween Costume contest and potluck just for pugs – other dog breeds need not apply. The $5 admission fee is donated to help Animal Haven continue its mission of rescuing and re-homing pets of all types; animalhavenshelter.org. Finally, on Friday at 7 p.m., scrumptious pumpkin pies will be carved for Little Shelter’s “Dancing With the Stars” dinner benefit at Lyndenhurst’s swank Chateau LaMer. Tickets are $100 per person (sorry, pets are not invited), with all proceeds going to build a desperately needed medical center for the adoptable pets at this Long Island rescue landmark. For information, visit littleshelter.com.

js@pet-reporter.com