TYLER, Texas — With Halloween less than two weeks away, your yard may already be filled with thrilling theatrics. According to wildlife experts, each year rescue calls are made around the holidays to save animals entangled in decor.
WildCare, a wildlife hospital and nature education center located in San Rafael California, shared the story of a Western screech owl they saved in 2011 after finding it caught in artificial webbing. Communications director Alison Hermance says this is a common occurrence everywhere.
"Every single year we see animals tangled in this," Hermance said.
The decorative webbing, usually made of polyester, is a popular and cheap decoration often found hanging from houses or bushes. But it can be tricky to remove.
"It's really, really strong fibers, so an animal that gets tangled in this stuff has no way to get it off," Hermance said.
In addition to artificial webbing, things like string light can also pose a threat.
"Be really careful of anything that can dangle or tangle," Hermance said. "Decorations around Halloween are a prime suspect for that, not just those cobwebs. Basically, there are a lot of things animals can get hooked in, whether that's a deer getting decorations caught in his antlers or an animal running through a hedge and getting caught in lights hanging there."
If you have any decorations like this at your home right now, here's what you can do:
- Check the decorations twice a day, in the morning and at night, to see if anything is caught
- If you find an animal or insect caught and in distress, call your local wildlife center
- If you want to throw the decorations away, or store them away for the following year, wrap them up tightly and seal them safely in a storage bag where animals, even household pets, will not be able to access.
WildCare has more information and tips on their website: https://discoverwildcare.org/keep-halloween-safe-for-wildlife/