Halloween may be fun for the kids, but your pets may not enjoy it. People often make animals the targets of their not-so-gentle pranks during Halloween. All the noise and unaccustomed activity may upset your pets and once agitated, they can become difficult to control. Here are some tips to keep your pet safe:

• Do not leave the pet outside. Bring them inside, even if your yard is fenced. Dogs and black cats are often the target of pranksters. Often it is just teasing but the acts can get cruel, so protect your pets by having them in a safe place. Black cats are especially at risk, since people make the unfair association with evil. Veterinarians often treat more animals who’ve suffered burns, cuts and injuries from malicious people during Halloween.

• Keep pets restrained. It is best to keep dogs away from the front door. If the dog must be there, keep him leashed. Children in strange costumes may be frightening and scary to the dog. Even gentle dogs can turn aggressive if they’re scared, which could result in a child getting bitten. A restrained dog will not get lost, but in case they get loose, make sure there are identification tags on the dog’s collar.

• Keep candy away from the pets. Your pet can get ill from eating candy or its wrapper. Chocolates, particularly, should not be given to dogs: they contain an ingredient that has proven poisonous to dogs, and even small bites of dark chocolate will be enough to kill your pet with theobromine poisoning. Your dog may be having chocolate poisoning if you observe: excessive drooling or urination; rapid heartbeat; diarrhea and vomiting. In extreme cases, there may be tremors and seizures, or even coma.

• Keep pets away from candles and other décor. The pet can easily knock over candles and lit pumpkins when they are frightened, or even by wagging tails. Some decorations use inks that are toxic to animals, and synthetic cobwebs can block their digestive systems leading to death. Synthetic cobweb outside your house can also cause injury to birds and other animals.

• Keep the pets at home. You should not allow pets to be taken trick-or-treating. The noise could agitate and upset them, and they could bite.

• Avoid dressing up the pet. Tight rubber bands will constrict the blood circulation or prevent the pet from breathing as often as it should. With that difficulty, the pet might bite.

Your pets are counting on you to make sure they remain safe.