(NEW YORK) -- Halloween can be a traumatic and even dangerous time for your pet. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals -- ASPCA -- offers some tips to protect your pet on Halloween: Don't leave your pet out in the yard on Halloween. There are plenty of stories of vicious pranksters who have teased, injured, stolen and even killed pets on this night.

Trick-or-treat candies are not for pets. Chocolate is poisonous to a lot of animals, and tin foil and cellophane candy wrappers can be hazardous if swallowed.

Be careful of pets around a lit pumpkin. Pets may knock it over and cause a fire. Curious kittens especially run the risk of getting burned.

Don't dress the dog or cat in costume unless you know he loves it. Otherwise, it puts a lot of stress on the animal.

If you do dress up your pet, make sure the costume isn't annoying or unsafe -- it should not constrict her movement, hearing or ability to breathe or bark. Be careful not to obstruct his vision. Even the sweetest animal can get snappy when she can't see what's going on around her.

All but the most social dogs should be kept in a separate room during trick-or-treat visiting hours. Too many strangers in strange garb can be scary for a dog.

Be careful your cat or dog doesn't dart outside when you open the door for trick-or-treaters.