7 News Features: Halloween Pet Safety

WSVN -- There's no doubt how much children love Halloween, but your pet may be a little overwhelmed with all of the hustle and bustle of trick-or-treaters on Oct. 31.

Xiomara Mordcovich/Miami-Dade County Animal Services: "It's important that you keep the dogs away, in a room where they're not going to be listening to the doorbell all the time."

Xiomara Mordcovich, with the Miami-Dade County Animal Services, says pets are creatures of habit, and seeing strangers at the door, yelling, in costumes maybe too much for them.

You need to keep a close eye on your pet because frequently opened doors provide a perfect opportunity for escape.

Xiomara Mordcovich: "They should wear a pet ID tag with phone numbers and address, in case your dog runs away. Another device that could save your pet's life is the microchip. This device is implanted under the skin, and once it's implanted, it's implanted for life."

To keep your pet from having his own Halloween celebration...

Xiomara Mordcovich: "Keep all the candy and chocolate away from the pets as well because it could be harmful for you animal. It's too much sugar, and chocolate could be fatal for the animals."

And if you're going to dress up your pet for Halloween, make sure that their costume is safe and comfortable. Make sure that there aren't any parts that can dangle off, and they can chew on, and also never leave them unattended with their costumes on.

Also, Animal Services say it's not a good idea to take your pet trick-or-treating because they may be startled by the large numbers of people on the street.

And don't forget, pets are curious, so those glowing jack-o-lanterns and other decorations may end up being a hazard for them.

Xiomara Mordcovich: "If you have a curious pet, make sure the decorations are out of harm's way."