Staying Fit
Megan Wisdom had never considered dressing up her cats for Halloween before, but 2020 is different.
Wisdom, 56, of Brooklyn, New York, bought devil horns and a cape for her solid black rescue named Lily — fitting garb for an animal best described as “feisty,” says Wisdom. “Her growl is a purr,” she adds.
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Under normal circumstances Lily is far too ornery to join an in-person pet costume contest, which is likely to be populated by dogs and more docile creatures. But as COVID-19 has forced organizers to make these annual Halloween events virtual, pet owners are adapting to this new take on the dress-up tradition.
"It's very rare that there are costume contests you can bring your cat to,” says Wisdom, who is using the opportunity to try to raise money for her rescue organiztion, Greenpoint Cats. “Virtual is a different story because you can put them on your lap and plop an outfit on them."
Costume creativity front and center
A growing segment of pet owners is purchasing the slew of pet costumes on the market to celebrate Halloween. According to the American Pet Products Association, 5 percent of dog owners and 2 percent of cat owners buy their animals presents for Halloween and 15 percent of dog owners have holiday costumes at home.
Some owners participate in costume contests to raise awareness and money for animal rescue organizations. Others just want to get their beloved furbaby in the media spotlight and to have a good time with like-minded humans.
"For a large number of us, who have dogs and not children, it satisfies a certain kind of parental Halloween moment,” says Jennifer-Jo Moyer, 56, co-organizer of the annual Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade in New York City's East Village. “For other people it's just the sheer joy of creativity and having your dog take part in your art."
Thousands of onlookers usually come out to the Tompkins Square event to watch hundreds of dogs dressed in fabulous costumes, such as the elaborate Día de Los Muertos-themed float that earned Amy Cox, 57, and her Yorkie and two Chihuahuas a grand prize a few years back.
Cox, who lives in Dallas, paid $450 to have the heavy floats shipped to her hotel in New York.