Halloween is one of the most fun holidays of the year. We get to dress up; go to parties and trick or treat. Unfortunately, our pets don’t have such a good time. For them, it can be a stressful night that causes anxiety.

Here are some safety tips so you can keep your pet healthy and stress-free.

Make sure your pets have identification on them

Your dog or cat should have a collar on with their name, your phone number, and your address. With the front door opening and closing for trick-or-treaters, there is a change they could make a run for it, especially if they are scared. If for any reason your pet does escape, proper identification will increase the chances of him or her returning to you. It’s not very fun or easy to look for a frightened pet in the dark.

Don’t Feed Treats to your pets.

Candy, chocolate and other sweets should be kept out of the reach of your pet. In a closed closet or cupboard is best. Chocolate can be toxic to animals and many sugar-free candies and other products contain Xylitol, a sweetener that can make your animal sick. Candy wrapping, plastic, and tinfoil can also be a choking hazard if swallowed. If you suspect your pet has ingested something they shouldn’t, call your veterinarian immediately.

Keep Your Pet Indoors

It’s never a good idea to take your pet trick-or-treating with you. Dogs can easily get scared by the fireworks and become uncontrollable and may even try to bite a trick-or-treater. If you have an outdoor cat, you should not let them roam around during Halloween. There are too many mischievous teenagers with firecrackers. Don’t give them a chance to use your pet as target practice.

Be Careful Dressing Up Your Pet

Costumes are all fun and games for children and adults, but not necessarily for pets. If you do decide to dress up your animal make sure the costume is safe and doesn’t restrict movement, vision, hearing or ability to breath. Avoid costumes with anything dangling, or accessories that a pet could chew off and swallow. If you do dress your pet, make sure they are supervised at all times.

Make Sure Your Decorations Are Pet-Friendly

Many Halloween decorations, including lit pumpkins, can be dangerous and even burn curious animals if you’re not careful. Pumpkins are easy to knock over, smash, and if ingested can cause a stomach ache with might result in an emergency visit to a hospital. You should keep all electrical cords and wires out of reach of your pet too. Your dog or cat can be tangled or decide to chew on the cords.