News Photo by Kayla Wikaryasz On Monday, Matthew and Catherine Rabbideau are seen walking along the Thunder Bay River with their dog, Mabel. As people celebrate Halloween and fall festivities, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) reminds pet owners to maintain the safety of their animals.

ALPENA — The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) offers ways to keep animals healthy and safe this Halloween.

“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,” Nora Wineland, state veterinarian, said in an MDARD press 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.”

Halloween is the best time for candy and sweet treats, but it is important to remember that our fur friends cannot enjoy all the same foods we eat.

MDARD reminds pet owners to keep candy and 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 to them.

According to the release, having a quiet space for animals can also help reduce unneeded stress as households experience a constant stream of visitors for festivities and trick-or-treaters.

“It is important to have a quiet space set aside for them to go if they are getting too stressed,” the release states. “Also, have the room stocked with their food, water, litter pan, et cetera in case they would like to maintain their distance for an extended period of time.”

As residents open the door for trick-or-treaters, MDARD also reminds pet owners that there is always the possibility of an animal sneaking out and getting 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,” the release states.

Decorations and lights can also cause injuries to animals. MDARD reminds pet owners to keep spooky decorations out of reach along with candles with an open flame, glow sticks, and potpourri.

Though people enjoy dressing up as their favorite characters for Halloween, our fur friends might not.

“It is possible your animals cannot recognize you or others because of your costumes, causing unexpected reactions and additional stress,” the release states. “Consider wearing pieces of your costume around your animal before Halloween to better acclimate them to the sight.”

MDARD suggests making sure that animals are comfortable in a costume and they are not restricted in any way.

“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,” the release states. “Also, don’t leave a costumed pet unsupervised.”