Howl-O-Ween tips for pet owners

The next few days are going to be a huge for trick or treaters on Delmarva, but what you may not realize is this can be a very stressful time for your pets.

To keep them safe, keep treats out of reach, and remember, the darker the chocolate the worse it is for your dog.  Keep jack-o-lanterns, or other decorations out of the way eliminating a fire risk.

If you're going to dress your animal, do so days ahead of time to reduce stress and get them comfortable with their attire.

If you take them out with you, use reflective collars and leashes, or zip tie glow sticks to their leash to easily recognize them.

But the ASPCA's general recommendation if you're home this Halloween is to keep your pet in a separate room to reduce their stress and eliminate their flight risk.

"On a typical day you could have kids playing in a yard here or there.  But on trick or treat night you're talking kids running house to house screaming, parents trying to chase after their kids, all the noises, if someone has a haunted house set up, there's a lot going on in a dogs mind that can be pretty scary to it," said Aaron Balsamo, Executive Director at the Wicomico County Humane Society.

If your animal does get into treats that could be harmful, you can call the ASPCA Poison Control Hotline at 888.426.4435.