Each year, on the last night of October, millions of children across the United States dress up in costumes* and take to the streets for the spooky* fun of “Trick or treat.”

But it is a bad time for black cats because it is thought that black cats stand for* bad luck.

An animal shelter* in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, prohibits* black cat adoptions from October 30 to November 2, fearing* the animals could be mistreated* in Halloween activities — or worse, killed in some ritual*.

However, some animal experts say the practice does more to hurt animals than protect them.

“Black cats already suffer a bad reputation* because of their color,” said Gail Buchwald, vice president of an animal shelter in New York City. “Why punish them any more by limiting* the times when they can be adopted?”

Black cats tend to be adopted less often than other kinds of cats, Buchwald said.

It’s not clear how many shelters still ban black cat adoptions, but it was a tradition* for animal shelters around the United States to do this around the festival.

Halloween is an annual* celebration. The word itself, “Halloween,” comes from “All Hallows Eve,” which falls on October 31.

Halloween celebrations usually start in early October in every primary school. Children would make Halloween decorations*, all kinds of orange-paper jack-o’-lanterns*. From black paper, children cut “scary*” things — a witch* with a pointed hat riding through the sky on a broomstick*, maybe with black bats* flying across the moon, which means bad luck.

Black cats stand for more bad luck. On Halloween night children dress up in costumes, put on a mask, and go outside. They go together to neighbors’ houses, ringing the doorbell and yelling, “Trick or treat!” meaning, “Give us a treat (something to eat) or we’ll play a trick on you!”

(SD-Agencies)