Animal advocates are encouraging pet owners to keep their pets inside on Halloween night.
 / FOX21: file photo
Halloween is Oct. 31 every year, but this year has come with some disturbing talk thanks to a phony threat that has gone viral.
Someone created a fake social media account for Terry Jordan, a Slater, Mo. councilman who initiated a vicious dog ordinance that irritated local pit bull owners. That person then used the fake account to declare Halloween "National Kill A Pit Bull Day." The account's creator posted the following message:
"Im here by announcing October 31 National kill a pitbull day. After you take the kids trick or treating keep your costume on round up some friends and kill as many pibulls as you can before midnight. Baseball bats, knives, bricks and poisons (a hotdog soaked in radiator fluid works well) are all suitable tools. Their owners like brag about their high threshold for pain. So don’t worry them suffering they can take it. So remember to spread the word! OCTOBER 31, 2012 NATIONAL KILL A PITBULL NIGHT"
The message was posted in September and has quickly spread virally via social media and text message. Though Jordan quickly dismissed rumors that it was him (grammar shows it was likely not written by a councilman), some animal advocates are worried others may take it seriously.
Animal rights advocates are encouraging pet owners to keep their pets indoors as a precaution, though most think the threat is a hoax and not valid.
Other pet tips include keeping them away from the door when trick-or-treaters arrive, keeping candles, jack-o-lanterns and candy out of reach and supervising them if you have to let them out, even in a fenced-in yard.
Killing a dog in Colorado is a felony offense. Charges could include animal cruelty, criminal mischief or worse and may result in prison time.