DOG welfare organisation the Kennel Club is calling for owners to keep their dogs safe this Halloween.

Halloween poses a number of health and welfare risks to dogs, from eating foods that can be toxic such as chocolate to being scared by trick or treaters and children in costumes.

Tips include keeping chocolate out of reach of dogs. Chocolate contains the chemical theobromine, which is poisonous to dogs. Eating chocolate can initially cause vomiting and diarrhoea, but is a stimulant and can cause your dog to become excitable, as well as develop muscle twitching, tremors, fitting and life threatening heart problems.

If dogs get hold of a large quantity of sweets, such as those being stored for trick or treaters, they can develop an inflammation of the pancreas due to a sizeable ingestion of sugar.

Sugar free sweets can contain ingredients such as Xylitol which can be poisonous to dogs.

Keep your dog in a quiet and safe place and have the number of your dog’s vet to hand. If your dog has eaten chocolate or sweets they will need to know what was eaten, when and how much.

Consider walking your dog at a different time.