Are black cats in danger on Halloween? El Paso, Juárez groups differ on pet adoptions

Old diabolical legends die hard, especially in the U.S.-Mexico Borderland.

Juárez's Animal Welfare center earlier this month announced it was suspending cat adoptions in October to prevent cats from being sacrificed in occult rituals during the Halloween season . It's a precaution that U.S. animal welfare groups now largely say is misguided, unnecessary and stems from debunked urban myths.

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A municipal official in a Juárez city news release on Oct. 15 noted that this was the time of year that it is perceived that "the death of animals occurs, especially of cats used for sacrifices and other risky activities."

Officials asked residents not to give away cats and to take precautions to care for their pets to keep them safe from harm and being "used in bad things."

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The prohibitions of cat adoption in October, especially black or white cats, used to be common in the United States years ago, especially during the 1980s "Satanic Panic" with its conspiracies of mass child abuse and human and animal sacrifice.

El Paso Animal Control and the El Paso Humane Society suspended the adoption of black or white dogs and cats in October 2005 "to prevent animal abuse during Halloween," El Paso Times archives showed.

Do people kill black cats on Halloween?

There is no evidence of black cats being adopted for nefarious reasons and no increase in animal cruelty cases linked to October or Halloween activities in El Paso, said Michele Anderson, the marketing and public engagement manager for El Paso Animal Services.

There has been no local suspension of adoptions of black or white dogs and cats during October since at least 2016, when Anderson joined the department, she said.

National animal welfare organizations now widely consider it an urban legend that there are covens of devil worshipers looking for black cats to sacrifice or torture in blood rituals around Halloween, Anderson said.

"There are many superstitions that follow black cats (or black animals in general) which are simply that — superstitions," Anderson stated in an email.

The El Paso Police Department's Animal Cruelty Investigations Unit is a specialized team of detectives who handle a variety of animal cruelty cases. The unit was created in 2017. The Animal Cruelty Investigations Unit has not had any cases of occult sacrifices involving cats, police spokeswoman Det. Judy Oviedo said.

One of the most shocking crimes involving a cat occurred in July when an El Paso man suspected of being mentally ill allegedly stabbed a cat with a screwdriver, ripped it open with his hands and began eating its intestines in a parking lot in Five Points.

Cats are no more in danger on Halloween than any other day, animal welfare groups have said. The sad reality is that animal cruelty and neglect occur throughout the year, not necessarily because of cults or Halloween.

How to keep pets safe on Halloween

Halloween can be stressful for pets, with trick-or-treating strangers walking around, doorbells ringing and parties. El Paso Animal Services offers the following tips for keeping furry friends safe:

• Make sure pets have a collar with an identification tag and updated microchip information in case they get outside during door openings during trick-or-treating or parties.
• Create a safe space for pets in a quiet room away from the commotion (include favorite toys) to reduce stress and keep them safe.
• Keep candy out of reach. Chocolate and sugar-free candy are toxic to pets. Candy wrappers can pose a choking hazard.
• If a pet isn’t comfortable in a costume, don’t force them to wear one. Make sure the costume allows them to move freely.
• Keep lighted candles, jack-o'-lanterns and electrical cords away from curious pets. Chewing or knocking over decorations could injure a pet.

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Are black cats in danger on Halloween? El Paso, Juárez groups differ on pet adoptions