A lot of parents love to dress up their pets on Halloween. Oh sure, they put costumes on their kids, too, but at a certain age the kid gets to decide what to wear and the parent is stuck trying to figure out how to make a fairy mermaid princess costume.

The pets, though, don’t get a say. Plus, you don’t have to find them a costume that will stretch over a snowsuit.

And then, of course, there’s the cuteness factor. Little kid dressed up as a robot? Cute. Little kid dressed up as a robot plus weiner dog wearing a giant bun? Cute squared.

Prepare to be walloped by cuteness at Quality Supply’s next Pet-O-Ween Pet Costume Contest. The annual event eagerly anticipated by pet-lovers throughout western Montana is being followed this year, for the first time ever, by a kid’s costume contest.

But note that Halloween will come early to Quality Supply, as the contest takes place on Saturday, Oct. 24. That’s right, there’s less then two weeks remaining to find antennae for your black lab’s ladybug outfit.

Registration starts at 10 a.m. that morning and ends at 10:30, with the costume contest set to begin at 11 a.m. The entry fee of $4 will go to help support the Humane Society of Western Montana.

The grand prize is a year’s supply of dog or cat food – yes, Fluffy is welcome to compete, and so is Tweety and Ratty and, assuming the Quality Supply folks will stand by their statement that “any type of animal (is) welcome,” Snakey and Spiderella – but each participant will get a little goody bag to take home.

The kid’s costume contest is for kiddos age 12 and younger, and the grand prize is a $50 gift card to Quality Supply.

In addition to the two contests, the day’s events include “treats, face-painting, photos, grooming demonstrations, and much more!”

I’m wondering if I can score two prizes with one costume; my daughter wants to go as a poodle.

- MM