The best part about Halloween is getting to dress up and pretend to be someone else for the night. While many people are starting to shop for costumes for themselves, others are looking for the perfect outfit for their pets. 

According to the National Retail Federation, in the U.S. roughly $0.7 billion are spent each year on Halloween costumes for pets.

There are many reasons people dress up their four-legged friends for the festivities. Most of the holiday shopping is for social media where users itch for likes on platforms such as Instagram and Facebook, wanting to participate in the trend of cats and dogs being dressed up. 

Pet dress-up is simply a cute and fun way to get pets involved during the spooky season.

“I’m going to dress my dog up as a little lobster. It’s going to be his first year dressing up,” said Andrea Flores, a sophomore health and human sciences major. 

There are a variety of pet costumes for cats and dogs that range from pop culture to food. The pop culture route may be the most creative category, especially for pet owners who love movies and TV shows. Costume ideas include Marvel superheroes, “Stranger Things” characters and Disney figures from films like “Turning Red” and “Lightyear.” 

For people who don’t want to go through the hassle of trying to fit their pet into a full costume, there are simple alternatives to ensure they don’t miss out on the fun this year.

Bandanas that loosely clip around your pet’s neck are cute and can be found in various colors and patterns. Chewy is one of many online stores that sell Halloween bandanas for pets.

Hats and ears are other options for pets who may be fussy and can even end up looking better than a full look. Examples of headwear include witch hats or Yoda ears for “Star Wars” enthusiasts. 

“I would dress my cats and dogs up in some sort of food,” said Madelin Richards, a sophomore nursing major.

Where can these costumes be found? Due to the rising popularity of pet costumes, they are not hard to find and are available at Target or Walmart. Elaborate costumes can be found at stores such as Pet Costume Center, Spirit Halloween and PartyCity. 

Dressing up your animal for the holiday festivities can be exciting, but also dangerous. Ensure pets are comfortable with the costume and can move and see clearly. Those who do decide to dress up their pet this year should refer to the Animal Humane Society for safety tips.