As October 31 approaches, you may be planning all sorts of spooky activities to celebrate Halloween. If you include your pet in the festivities, ensure you do so safely by following our team’s top five Halloween pet safety tips.

#1: Avoid sharing candy bags with your pet

Sorting through the loot after an excellent night of trick-or-treating is one of the holiday’s highlights for children. However, keep your furry pal’s nose—and jaws—out of your kid’s candy bag or the bowl of candy you bought to hand out to trick-or-treaters. Not only are many treats dangerous for pets, but the wrappers themselves can cause gastrointestinal obstruction. Place your candy bowl well out of your pet’s reach between each ring of your doorbell, and ensure your children don’t leave their candy or wrappers lying around within paw’s reach.

#2: Check your pet’s costume fit

While many pets prefer to wear their birthday suits on Halloween, your furry pal may enjoy donning a festive costume. When outfitting your pet, check the costume’s fit to ensure it does not slip over their eyes, restrict breathing, or limit movement. Also, check for parts that can be chewed off, such as ties, zippers, and other dangling pieces.

#3: Limit spooky encounters

Although you may enjoy setting up your yard as a haunted attraction, your pet may become too frightened to go outside to do their business. Minimize eerie sounds, motion-activated monsters, and flashing lights to avoid scaring your pet.

#4: Refrain from using retractable leashes

Before taking your pup trick-or-treating with you, make sure that they do well in situations where there can be crowds and encounters your pup may find spooky. One more thing to keep in mind is to refrain from using retractable leashes. Retractable leashes can be a hazard, especially if your pup likes to walk several feet ahead of you. They can also be a hazard because there is little control when using them. To avoid any accidents of giving your pet room to dart into the streets, never use retractable leashes.

#5: Keep your pet indoors after dark

Most of the holiday’s mischief-making happens at night, so get your pet’s daily walk in well before dark. When letting your dog out one last time before bed, walk outside with them, and take a bright flashlight so you can keep a close eye on them. Having a reflective or light-up collar or leash can also be especially helpful for later walks or smaller dogs.

#6: Microchip your pet

With the front door constantly opening, your pet has an increased chance of slipping out in the costumed chaos. Double-check that their microchip’s registration information is current so you can be contacted if they dart out the door.

Make sure your furry friend stays out of mischief this Halloween. However, if your pet finds themselves in trouble, call your emergency veterinarian as soon as possible.