The RSPCA has warned against dressing up pets for Halloween, saying it can be “quite stressful” for animals.
While some pets may not mind being dressed up, some may find the experience “worrying and even scary”, the RSCPA told BBC Newsround.
The British Veterinary Association says certain dogs can feel discomfort or suffer breathing problems in a costume.
The warnings come at a particularly popular time for pet costumes, in the run-up to Halloween on Monday.
Many pet owners post social media images with their pets in fetching pumpkin or ghost costumes, while some owners have taken their dogs to Halloween costume parades, primarily seen in the US, but also increasingly in the UK.
But the RSPCA says pets do not always find such activities to be fun.
“It’s really important that pet owners think about how dressing up pets can make them feel, as whilst some animals may not mind being dressed up, other pets may find this worrying and even scary,” the animal charity said.
Justine Shotton, the vice president of the British Veterinary Association (BVA), added it can also affect some animals’ health, in particular that of certain breeds of dogs.
