Amid concerns about tainted treats, vet clinic offers free x-rays for Halloween candy

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - A Salt Lake veterinary clinic is offering free x-rays to parents concerned about tainted Halloween candy.

PetVet Animal Hospital is making room for humans who want high-definition x-ray scans to ensure treats weren't tampered with.

The machine can show needles, pins, or razors — all items that have been found in candy here in Hawaii and across the country.

"We hope to not find anything in the candies but if there are parents that are worried out there, we're new to the community, so we just want to do something free and fun," says veterinarian Joy Lynn Yasuda.

In 2015, Honolulu Police investigated at least five reports of candy that had been tainted in Ewa, Waianae and Waimanalo.

"We can show them the x-rays here but also if they wanted to show their friends and family we can email it to them," Yasuda said.

PetVet Clinic will have extra staff on Halloween night to accommodate.

You don't need to be a current customer or even a pet owner to take advantage of the service.

Yasuda says they are open until 9 p.m. Halloween, but can do scans in the days after the holiday if people ask.

"We certainly can extend it a little while longer," Yasuda said, "We just didn't think that kids would wait to eat their candy."

Keiki safety experts say most parents do quick checks of Halloween candy to make sure the wrappers aren't torn or open, but small needles and pins can be inserted without any obvious signs.

They suggest breaking the candy in half before eating it to make sure nothing is hiding inside.

Mobile users: Click here to see a Halloween in Hawaii slideshow.

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