Pet owners have been warned not to dress dogs and cats in "demeaning" Halloween costumes because it stresses them out.
Outfits for animals such as dogs, cats, rabbits and other species have become popular with images shared online of pets dressed as pumpkins, ghosts and ghouls as the Halloween season starts.
Elaborate costumes, however, could be putting pets at risk along with additional accessories which could impact the animal's movement, the British Veterinary Association has warned.
Justine Shotton, Senior Vice President of the Association said pets are "not fashion accessories" and putting costumes on them is both "unnecessary and potentially harmful"
Hoods which cover ears and affect vision can also make Halloween scarier still and change, changing their thinking of what's around them.
Restrictive outfits could leave them unable to escape from predators or hinder their ability to defend themselves.
To make matters worse for the animal, materials could irritate their skin and cause sore patches.
Ms Shotton told The Telegraph : "Some costumes may also prevent pets from regulating their body temperature properly and breathing freely, which is especially a concern for flat-faced dogs like French bulldogs and Pugs.
"Halloween is already quite a stressful time for some pets, with excited children, familiar people looking different in costumes and masks, and lots of unfamiliar people coming to the door too.
"It's always best to try to keep pets calm and reassured, rather than to add to any anxiety and discomfort by dressing them up too."
The pet could also chew off their costume in frustration and swallow materials which could cause harm or spark emergency treatment.
Eddie Clutton, professor of veterinary anesthesiology at the University of Edinburgh, said pets being dressed up is "demeaning" for the animal.
He said: "Would you dress your child up to look stupid and have people comment on its being 'Dracula the Dog'?
"It's not really treating dogs as dogs and cats as cats.
"If you went to visit your granny with dementia in a care home, would you dress her up as a witch?"
Costumes on cats that use a collar could, he said lead to strangulation if they become caught in foliage.
He added that if an animal becomes trapped and is unable to make a noise it could be trapped for a long time and asphyxiate itself.
The Mirror told earlier this month how this time of year can pose significant dangers to our beloved pets, from the toxic ingredients in treats to the uncomfortable nature of fancy dress.
A veterinary expert warned dog owners of taking the festivities too far, after a viral TikTok video emerged of a dog wearing false teeth for Halloween.
Dr Anna Foreman, Everypaw Pet Insurance's in-house vet, claims that putting plastic teeth in a pet's mouth is "incredibly dangerous" and dressing up dogs in general can lead to distress.
She said: "False teeth are built for human teeth, and so the indents in them will not fit properly.
"This means that the dentures can not only damage a dog's real teeth, they will also not fit properly - which makes them a choking and foreign body hazard.
"The dog could choke on the teeth which can be fatal, or they could swallow the teeth - the dentures are then very likely to obstruct their stomach opening into the intestines, or the intestines themselves.
"In worst case scenarios, dogs can suffer considerably and die from foreign body obstructions.
"There is no reason to put false teeth in a dog's mouth aside from cosmetic ones - this is simply not ethical."
