If you will be having inside visitors for the evening, remind your guests not to give your pet any candy no matter how cute they think he or she is. Tell them of the health risks involved with candy and pets. It will be way easier to tell everyone upfront, than to have to tell each person as they try to share a treat with your pet. If you are having an indoor party, seriously consider putting your dog or cat in a room where they won't be disturbed. Secluding your pets in a quiet room away from the Halloween activities will ease your mind and allow you to enjoy your guests. This will also ensure that your pets won't panic and escape when bell-ringing trick-or-treaters arrive, nor will they become threatened or aggressive at the sight of costumed, little people. With many people visiting the home in strange attire, even normally calm pets might over react. These things can cause undue stress and possibly cause aggression in even the nicest dog, goldfish, or iguana for that matter. Pets, especially dogs, that are easily excitable or threatened by strangers should be kept from the front door so they cannot bite anyone or run into the street.
During Halloween, pets are often the victims of pranksters' cruel tricks. If you work in a pet store, remember that this is the time of year that can be deadly for black cats. Many animal shelters make black cats unavailable for adoption the week before Halloween because of black cat abuse. These poor animals have in the past, been targets of cruel activities on Halloween. It is probably best to keep black cats inside for the whole week of Halloween. On this Halloween night, try to keep all pets safely indoors at all times. With a frequently opened door, keep pets secure so they don't end up leaving with a band of trick-or-treaters. Keep pets on a shorter-than-normal leash if you plan on walking outside on Halloween.
Always watch that any open flames (like candles or jack-o-lanterns) are out of reach (of pets and kids). Not only could your pet start a fire but they could severely burn themselves in the process. Finally, dressing up a pet dog or cat has become increasingly popular in the last few years, which in turn means a big market for dog & cat-related products. It is best to avoid the temptation to dress up your dog and send him or her out trick-or-treating with the kids. If you are going to dress your pet in a costume, keep in mind that unless the dog or cat is extremely receptive to this kind of thing, you could be causing it discomfort and stress. I personally see nothing wrong with dressing your pet if they are in agreement with it, but on a busy holiday like Halloween they should also be wearing their collar with an Identification tag, just in case.