BEND, OR -- While we may enjoy a good Halloween scare, our pets don’t. The Humane Society of Central Oregon has some reminders to keep your furry family members safe tonight. “They don’t understand why their beloved family members are wandering around like a zombie, and walking weird, or dressed up in big things; so, it can be very confusing for them. As well as the trick or treating and the doorbell,” says HSCO's Lynne Ouchida who suggests keeping pets in an interior room with something to keep them distracted. And be sure to keep candy out of paw’s reach. “One of the key things is to go through and sort out all of the chocolate and make sure those are kept way out of reach of your pets. That can be toxic for an animal,” Ouchida tells KBND News adding, “The chocolate is toxic, but also candy is wrapped up in wrappers and that if is ingested can absolutely cause digestive upset, and a potential visit to the emergency vet.”

Pet costumes should be loose-fitting and not cover the eyes or mouth. For those pets that can be dressed up, the Humane Society invites them to be part of a fun night. “We’re actually doing a true old-fashioned halloween event down in the Old Mill District. We will  be handing out treats for our pets. There will be cat and dog treats and at 5:30 we will be holding our annual pet costume contest. It is all for fun, it’s free, and we’ve got some great prizes this year,” says Ouchida.

Registration for the Humane Society’s Howl-O-Ween starts at 4 today at the Old Mill District walking bridge.