Getting ready to celebrate Halloween? Make sure it doesn’t turn out to be a frightful night for pets, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development advises.

“Considering the needs of our animals is important when making plans for Halloween to ensure they won’t have any unpleasant scares or additional stress,” State Veterinarian Dr. Nora Wineland said in a news release. “From keeping them away from the candy bowl to ensuring they have up-to-date identification, there are many precautions owners can take to keep their animals safe this Halloween.”

MDARD offers these tips —

— Unsafe eats: Give Halloween candy to trick-or-treaters — not your animals. Unfortunately, animals cannot enjoy all of the same treats and food we do. Be sure to keep candy or other sweets containing chocolate, raisins and/or xylitol — an artificial sweetener found in many candies and gum — away from animals, as these ingredients can be hazardous.

— A quiet place: Have a quiet space for your animals. Having a constant stream of visitors can be overly stimulating for animals. It is important to have a quiet space set aside for them to go if they are getting too stressed. Also, have the room stocked with their food, water, litter pan, etc., in case they would like to maintain their distance for an extended period of time.

— Prevent disappearing acts: Make sure animals have proper identification. When opening the door for trick-or-treaters, it can be easy for animals to sneak out and get lost. Make sure animals have identification tags and/or up-to-date microchips with current contact information to improve the chances they are returned home.

— Avoid temptations: Keep Halloween decorations and wires out of reach. Spooky decorations and lights not only make for a frightful display but also catch the eye of our animals. As these items can cause injury, be sure they are kept out of an animal’s reach, along with candles with an open flame, glow sticks, and potpourri.

— Caution on costumes: Be thoughtful when selecting a costume. Our animals might not share the same enthusiasm for costumes we do. It is possible your animals cannot recognize you or others they may know because of your costumes, causing unexpected reactions and additional stress. Consider wearing pieces of your costume around your animal before Halloween to better acclimate them to the sight.

If your animals are the ones wearing the costumes, make sure they are comfortable in their outfit. The costume should not restrict their movement or breathing, block their sight, cause them to get overheated, or have small pieces that can be chewed off and become a choking hazard. Also, don’t leave a costumed pet unsupervised.

Following these tips can help keep animals safe and healthy through the spooky season.