SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) -Halloween transforms neighborhoods into spooktacular displays, but it could create impacts for wildlife.
Dr. Philip Brown, a veterinarian at the Animal Care Center, notes that Halloween lights placed in animal pathways can create hazardous situations. “But if you caught a loop around a leg, and it sat there and got knotted up, it’s going to be like a tunicate,” said Brown.
Decorative items that resemble food present another hazard. While wildlife typically avoids fake food, problems arise when real items, such as corn on the cob, are used as decorations. Squirrels and other critters often mistake these items for actual food sources. To make matters worse, they are often coated in resin, glue, and other toxic chemicals to preserve them in the elements. These could create issues for the health of wildlife…