From the American Kennel Club:

Halloween Safety Tips

Dressing a dog in a costume may seem over-the-top to some, but with Halloween just around the corner, the American Kennel Club (AKC®) surveyed dog owners to learn first-hand just how many plan to turn their Fido into a Frankenstein for the evening. It turns out that one in 10 dog owners can't imagine not dressing up their pup for the holiday and nearly half (49 percent ) admitted liking the idea.

The poll also found that women are six percent more likely than men to dress their pups up for all holidays, while men are 12 percent more likely than women to wonder why anyone would ever consider dressing their dog in the first place.

But, the trick is not to treat Halloween as just another day for your dog. Whether your dog dons a frightening frock or not, the AKC reminds owners to follow certain guidelines for keeping your pet safe during Halloween:

• If you dress your pet up in a "doggie" costume, supervise him at all times. Make sure it fits properly and is not in the way of his breathing, eyesight or hearing. If your dog swallows any elastic or decorative items, it could cause intestinal obstructions or choking. For more tips on how to acclimate your dog to wearing a Halloween costume visit the Ask AKC archive here.
• Chocolate and sweets can be dangerous for your dog. A dog's digestive system is not adapted for sweets, and chocolate contains Theobromine, which can be harmful and sometimes fatal to your dog. Baking chocolate is especially high in this chemical.
• Walk your dog early on Halloween, while it is still light outside. Your dog may find candy, wrappers and broken eggs on lawns and streets. Make sure that these "tempting treats" stay out of reach.
• Children in costumes can frighten dogs. Make sure pets are in a safe and secure room when you answer the door to prevent them from running out, getting hurt and frightening your visitors.
• If you want your dog to greet trick-or-treaters, keep him on leash. Your dog may be stressed by the noise, activity or simply the interruption of his normal routine.
• Don't leave your dog unattended outside on Halloween, even if he is behind a fence. Pranksters may target your dog with eggs, and passersby may be tempted to give your dog harmful treats and candy.
• If you are having a Halloween party, consider confining your dog securely in one area of the house. Leave a radio or TV and lights on for the dog.
• Be careful about where you place candles and Jack-o-Lanterns. They can easily be knocked over by your dog's wagging tail and either burn your dog or start a fire.

And from PetSmart:

13 Halloween Tips for You and Your Pet

Involving your pet in your Halloween activities can be a lot of fun. However, there are several situations to be aware of. Is Junior feeding Rex Halloween candy without knowing that chocolate is a toxin for dogs? You may need to protect your small critters from the unwanted contact by trick-or-treaters that come a-knockin' at your door. And be aware that Patches may try to eat the empty candy wrappers in the trash can. Taking the proper precautions to prevent any Halloween hassles can save you and your pet a lot of trouble. Read on for further tips on how you can provide a safe, yet spook-tacular Halloween for your pets!
1. Cancel the candy!
For pets, chocolate is a very dangerous, tasty toxin. It contains a compound called theobromine, which, like caffeine, is dangerous to dogs and cats when eaten in large quantities, says Mary Labato, D.V.M., clinical assistant professor at the Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine in North Grafton, Massachusetts. Baking chocolate, with nearly nine times more theobromine than milk chocolate, is particularly dangerous, but either kind can cause problems, she warns. A toxic dose of theobromine for a 20-pound dog is about 1,000 milligrams -- the amount found in 28 ounces of baking chocolate. To be safe, keep all chocolate away from your dog or cat! If you're not sure how much he ate, call your vet immediately for advice.

2. The importance of identification.
One of the most important things to consider if you are taking your pet trick-or-treating is to keep your pet identified! Whether or not your dog needs a license, get the animal an ID tag with your name and phone number on it. You can be fined for having an unlicensed dog, but the consequences may be much worse if your dog is lost with no identification.

3. Keep Lady leashed.
If your dog or cat is going to be accompanying you and your kids around the neighborhood, make sure you use a leash! Keep your pet under control. Nothing's more frightening than losing a pet in a strange place, or having her dart into traffic. To be absolutely safe, always attach the leash before you open the door, says M. Ward Crowe, D.V.M., professor emeritus in the Department of Veterinary Science at the University of Kentucky in Lexington and chair of the Animal Welfare Committee of the American Veterinary Medical Association. A leash is a great way to make sure that your pet stays by your side. However, make sure that you have control and are not being pulled. Leash pulling is easy to prevent if you start training your puppy early!

4. Make sure meal time comes before trick-or-treat time.
Is Rex waiting for the candy to be thrown into his mouth rather than your kids' candy bag? To avoid having your pet be tempted by the abundance of candy on Halloween, feed your pet before the trick-or-treating begins. If your dog or cat is full, they won't be tempted to ask for more food. If the begging persists, it could reflect habits that are present in your home. If you feed your pet table scraps while you're eating, there's a surefire chance that you've encouraged your pet to beg. Your pet will come to expect his share when you sit down to eat, and if your kids are rummaging through their trick-or-treat bag on the dinner table, you can bet that Rex is going to be begging for some candy. To combat begging, consistency is the key. If you are consistent about both the amount of pet food you give your pet and when you give it, you'll greatly lessen the chances that he'll beg or scavenge for food. Another tip is to feed your animal pet food, not people food.

5. Offer kitty-friendly treats.
If your kids want your cat to share the fun of Halloween treats, try offering any of these treats, instead of candy, as a Halloween special: a dollop of canned tuna in oil; two tablespoons heavy cream or half-and-half; an ounce or so of meat loaf; two or three sauteed chicken livers; two or three shrimp, cooked or raw, with shells on; one-quarter cup boned boiled or baked chicken. Remember, these treats are for special occasions and should not be a part of your cat's regular diet! For further precaution, consult your vet before presenting your cat with the treats.

6. Birds like treats, too.
To include your cockatiels in the Halloween festivities, honey sticks, which consist of the usual pellets and seeds held together by coagulated honey, make a great treat. Give your parrot a honey stick, too. Or tempt him with more creative fruit treats, such as kiwifruit (washed twice to remove even the slightest traces of pesticides) and strawberries cut into small chunks.

7. Fun with your fish.
Tropical fish really need consistent food more than anything -- and not too much of it. But, on Halloween, you might offer them a treat - dried brine shrimp. Fish seem to like it.

8. Gerbil and hamster goodies.
If you want to give your gerbil or hamster something special on Halloween, try a small dried cob of corn or a honey stick. Rats, mice, gerbils, and hamsters may not like honey sticks (or anything else) better than their usual food, but it's fun to watch them eat these treats. Guinea pigs live to eat, so any offering is a treat. Still, if you want something truly special, give your pet one-half cup of one of those fancy pre-washed salad green mixes. Look for one that's heavy on the darker greens and lighter on the lettuce (which has little nutritional value).

9. Be on the lookout for choking hazards.
With all the extra candy in the house, it is probable that your pet may find itself trying to digest a wrapper. When a cat gets into something that's supposed to be off-limits, she's likely to swallow it whole. This, of course, presents other problems, but it's unlikely to lead to choking. By contrast, a dog can get into serious trouble when trying to chew or swallow a foreign object. If your dog starts to choke, try to open the animal's jaws and look for the object that's blocking the airway. If possible, pull the object out of the dog's mouth. (Be careful to avoid being bitten.) If you can't remove the object, call the vet immediately; this is an emergency.

10. Keep a watchful eye on laser toys.
One thing to be aware of while trick-or-treating is that some children may have laser toys that are part of their costume, which could be dangerous to your cat's eyes. Gregory M. Acland, D.V.M., a vet at the James A. Baker Institute for Animal Health at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, said that the intensity of these laser light toys is insufficient to cause damage by chance or even deliberate illumination of the eye. "Certainly, if the cat and its eyes were perfectly still and the laser light could be aimed precisely at exactly the same point on the cat's retina for a significant length of time, the light could 'burn' the retina, but this is a highly unlikely scenario," he says.

11. Establish pet-only areas in your home.
If you are expecting trick-or-treaters to enter your home, you may want to protect children or your pet from unwanted contact with each other. You might want to establish a "dogs only" area where your dog can keep away from sharp pokes and too-hearty thumps without resorting to nips and growls of his own. For your fish, install a tight-fitting screen that clicks into place on top of the fish tank. These screens keep people from dipping in their fingers to terrify the fish or pull out seaweed, snails, or gravel. Don't forget to keep gerbils, hamsters, fish, water turtles, and frogs out of reach. Young children might squeeze the tiny animals and hurt them.

12. Boos and barking.
If your pooch is inclined to bark at the sound of the doorbell, Halloween night will be a nightmare for you! Some dogs seem to think that the doorbell or a knock on the door is their signal to start barking, so condition your dog to look forward to the ringing of the bell or knocking of the door without the vocal hysterics. A common reason that a dog barks is he sees something that frightens or intimidates him, so be sure to expect your dog to be extra vocal on Halloween night if he sees any masked trick-or-treaters.

13. Protect your pet from loud noise.
Is Rex sporting his Scooby-Doo costume, but afraid to come out from under the bed and show it? Noise anxiety may be the reason he's not enjoying the Halloween party. While cats may be startled by loud noises, they don't get panicky like dogs. If your dog hears fireworks, thunder, or other loud noises, he may be inclined to crawl into small spaces, such as under a bed or desk. A dog's hearing is extremely sensitive, and noise anxiety can be a resounding problem. "Dogs have crashed through plate glass windows and fallen a couple of stories after hearing a thunderbolt," says Elizabeth A. Shull, D.V.M., assistant professor of neurology, neurosurgery and animal behavior in the Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine in Knoxville. Create some comfortable quarters for your dog for your dog to escape to if you anticipate any loud noises.

A Very Important Bonus Tip!

Keep Felix Inside!
Halloween is a very dangerous time for cats. Especially for black cats! Most adoption shelters don't give away cats for adoption during the month of October to avoid possible cat abuse during Halloween. To avoid having your cat stolen and possibly tortured, make sure he is safe inside your house. No matter what color your cat is, it may be best to let him come out and play a few days after Halloween.

Have a happy and safe Halloween!