The Yearly Quest (for DumDums)

The season is upon us. Kids are rifling through their rooms, finding more props for their costumes. And parents are putting off buying the candy because, after all, if it's in the house we're going to eat it, right? It's a tough balance for the adults. Buy it too soon and you're going to make yourself sick eating candy that was meant for trick-or-treaters. Wait too long, and you have less selection to choose from. Oy.

While you ponder that dilemma, I'm here to let you know how you can very easily make this holiday a kind one to animals.

As a kid, I would be overwhelmed with the responsibility of the quest before me. Within those few hours that fall within the acceptable trick-or-treat time, it was open season to get all the candy in the world. The supply was endless. The real challenge, of course, was how to get as much as possible in that short space of time, while being able to keep one's costume looking good. Oh, the pressure! I was always something awkward and big, like a robot or a pack of cigarettes (you think I'm kidding?) so the quest was that much more difficult. I never opted for the cute-yet-sexy-kitty costume or the creepy I'm-a-sexy-baby-girl-in-pigtails-and-pajamas costume. (A big nod of thanks to my parents for pointing me in the right direction. The cigarettes, I should point out, said on one side of the enormous carton, "Don't smoke" with a skull and crossbones. I believed strongly in mixed messages, apparently.) So with building an awe-inspiring costume and mapping the ideal trick-or-treat route, kids have enough on their minds. They don't have the time or energy to devote to deciding which candies are friendly to the animals they love.

As the new generation of grownups -- can that be right? -- it's our job to make this momentous night even greater by selecting goodies that use ingredients that keep our animal friends safe. And I'm sure you agree. So I did the legwork for you!

The most obvious candy that uses animal products is milk chocolate. Milk is not an innocent product and results in the death of all the cows and calves that are part of that industry. (See this link to a past post to learn more -- don't worry, I explain it in a way that won't freak you out.) So empty the milk chocolate right out of that cheap plastic jack-o-lantern because...

Dark chocolate is A-OK! The cows will totally approve and will love you for it!

Less obvious are the products that use gelatin. Many people don't realize this, but gelatin is derived from the collagen in slaughtered animals' skin, bones, and connective tissues. "Ew" on so many counts. There are plenty of other ingredients that seem, on the surface, innocent, but in reality come from some part of an animal. (Even urea -- as in urine -- is used to brown some brands of pretzels. I mean really. Can't we come up with something a little better than that? I wished I'd been in the room when they'd brainstormed that one. Honestly.)

This year, I thought it might be challenging to find vegan candy, but I was wrong. Super easy. Sour patch kids and Swedish fish? Vegan. Not health food, mind you, but vegan. Smarties? Vegan. Doves dark chocolate, Jolly Ranchers, Hubba Bubba gum (oh the memories...), Twizzlers (oh the stomach aches...),  DumDums, Fireballs, and Airheads? All vegan. Here are two lists of other vegan candies you can buy. List one!  and List Two!

This year, we're getting Smarties, which actually has a whole webpage devoted to vegan candy. Hmm.... there must be a market for it lately! (Perhaps this is due to lots of kind people like you milling about?)

And we just bought two big bags of Yummy Earth lollipops. The food editor at the Today Show wrote, "The BEST lollipop I've ever tasted." I was given some to sample at the Maple Farm Sanctuary, and they were UNBELIEVABLE. These are the new generation of lollipops. You may just want to get some for yourself. To hell with the trick-or-treaters. We got ours at Whole Foods. I think it was $5.99 for a bag of 50. Check out the video below about how they make these tasty candies!

This video is a blast! The makers of Yummy Earth show us how their lollipops are made. It's like seeing real-life Willy Wonka Dads. You MUST see this!

(So how cute were they? That video totally makes me want to be a candy maker.)

Does it really make a difference? Will returning those Snickers bars and Mars bars in exchange for some Twizzlers truly change the life of animals? You bet! It's simple everyday choices like these that change the world. We tend to undermine our power. But money talks. Lordy it talks. So take this baby step and use your hard-earned cash to buy something that leaves animals off the plate. Even if you still eat meat and eggs and drink milk, just try this one thing. I think you'll be surprised at how good it makes you feel. 

And stock up on those lollipops. If there are leftovers, you'll be very pleased. :) Heck -- get some DumDums and give those away and save the Yummy Earth ones for you!

Happy Halloween!

P.S. Remember to keep your black kitties safe!

So -- what kind of treats will you be buying for your trick-or-treaters?

Black is the New Pink!

Our kitty Kaci, posing against Halloween colors. I adopted her twelve years ago, and she cuddles next to my head every night.

***

One of my students walked through the door of our third-grade classroom last Friday clutching her homework folder and wearing her usual so-shy-it-melts-your-heart smile. As well, she wore a long-sleeved black shirt with pink lettering that read, "Black is the new pink!"

Which is great on so many counts. But it was the perfect title for today's topic, which is black cats.  

Think of black cats, and most of us -- even if we have a black kitty companion ourselves -- think of the old wives' tale that warns that the black cat crossing our path will bring bad luck. These silly little sayings seem to stick into our brains like burrs on a sweater, even if we don't believe them. (It's the same way that the Smurfs theme gets caught in your head all day.  You're welcome.)

Sadly, though, many people do avoid black cats, even if subconsciously. 

A few months ago, I learned a very surprising fact. Our animal shelters are overflowing with black cats. Why? Partly because people still cling to this strange idea that these animals will bring bad tidings. Other people feel like their features are less interesting and/or are harder to read. Whatever the reason, it's unexpectedly odd. I challenge you to go to Petfinder (see below) and look up the cats available for adoption in your zip code. (It takes five seconds to do.) Notice how many black cats there are?

Even sadder, many of these places do not allow black cats to be adopted in the two weeks or even the month before the Halloween season because there have been many people who have adopted them merely as props for parties, haunted houses, etc. After October 31, they are either returned to the shelter or dumped. And there are some who do worse things.

Disturbing to say the least.

If you are looking for a new kitty companion, consider scouting out the black kitties. There are even adoption organizations that work on finding homes just for black cats! (Black Cat Rescue is one that is local to Boston.)

And if anyone makes a crack about your new black kitty and bad luck, just give them a confused stare and say, "Black is the new pink. Even a third-grader knows that."

This is Harry, who is at the Metrowest Humane Society in Ashland, Massachusetts. I found him by doing a random search on Petfinder. He, along with hundreds of other local animals, can be found on Petfinder.