Q: My kids want to dress up our dog in a Halloween costume. We just got him from the shelter, and I’m just not sure how he will feel about the whole idea. I don’t want to traumatize him after he just arrived in our home. What do you think?

A: First let me start by thanking you for adopting an animal from the shelter. There are so many animals in need of a good home. Shelters are a great place to look for a new furry family member. Adapting to a new home can take time, so you are right to be concerned about dressing up your new friend. Many animals find this stressful and do not enjoy the humor that humans seem to find in this tradition. Be aware of how your animal is reacting if you try a costume on your dog. I’ve met some animals who seem to love all the attention and other animals just tolerate it. Then there are some who fight it and tear at the clothing or anyone trying to put it on until it is decided this is NOT a good idea. If your animal is uncomfortable or you don’t want to put the animal through the stress of even finding out, perhaps a fancy collar is a better choice. If your animal doesn’t mind a costume, make sure it is safe for your animal to wear. Elastic shouldn’t be too tight, make sure the costume doesn’t trip the animal, and never leave an animal unsupervised while wearing a costume.

This month I’ve been focusing on questions that somewhat tie in with Halloween, so while we are on the topic it’s important to be aware of some of the dangers involved for animals aside from dressing them in costume. The noise from groups of people gathering around the neighborhood can be stressful and scary to your pets. I know I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again because shelters are full of lost animals after Halloween: be sure to keep all pets secure during trick-or-treating hours. It’s best to bring them inside to avoid the possibility of being teased through a fence or spooked so they may jump over. Enclosing them in a separate room of the house away from the front door will help keep animals from darting out the door as it opens and closes all evening. Black cats, in particular, should be kept safely inside to avoid being victims of the superstitions surrounding the holiday. Be sure to keep a current ID tag on your animals in case they do escape during the evening.

Candy can pose a big hazard to animals. The Theobromine found in chocolate can be lethal to dogs depending on the amount ingested. Raisins, a common healthy treat given at Halloween, can be harmful to pets. Keep all candy in sealed containers out of reach of Fido and Fluffy.

Watch your pet around Jack-o-lanterns. Candles can be knocked over causing hot wax to spill or a tail can catch on fire. Cats are extremely entranced by the flicker of a candle, so it’s best to use battery-powered lights instead of candles to keep everyone safe.

If you bring your dog out trick-or-treating with the kids, watch the dog closely and keep the dog on a short leash. Flexi-leashes are dangerous when there are a lot of people walking around. The long line may trip some unsuspecting person who may not have seen the leash in the dim light. The further a dog gets away from their person, the less control that person has over the dog. Remember, even the friendliest animals can get spooked on Halloween by all the goblins and ghouls wandering around so keep a close watch on your animals if you bring them out with the family on Halloween. It might be best to just leave them at home. Outings are a lot more fun on other days of the year.

Know your animal’s limitations and don’t push them beyond those limits on this festive occasion. With a new shelter animal, this may not be the best time to find out how friendly he is around strangers. There are plenty of strange things on Halloween evening and even mild-mannered people get spooked. After all, spooking people is a good portion of the holiday. Dogs don’t always get that it’s all in fun and feel they have to protect their people. Whether or not you decide to dress your animal up for Halloween, thinking ahead about your animals and making good decisions will keep everyone safe and happy. Have fun! Happy Halloween.