Children aren’t the only ones who can get into the Halloween spirit this weekend.

Staffers at the Joe Barnhart Bee County Library are inviting those of the canine variety to compete in a costume contest at 10 a.m. Saturday.

Judging for the Howl-O-Ween dog costume contest will be done by employees of a Place for Paws in Beeville.

“We are looking for imagination,” said Patty Alexander, with the library. “Anybody can buy a costume at the store and while they are wonderful, it would be wonderful if you made it.”

Alexander said that she hopes owners will use their imagination when they design the costumes.

“A lot of times dogs tend to look like their owner,” she said. “You can play that up.”

Alexander credited the library’s director, Sarah Milnarich, with the idea for the contest.

“Our director thought this would be a lot of fun,” Alexander said.

“We wanted to do it because we wanted to get people out and about and do some fun things.”

The rules are simple.

Dogs must be on a leash.

Really. That is the only rule.

The canines will be paraded in front of the judges on the courthouse lawn and the winners selected.

Prizes for the contest are costumes, chew toys and dog bones.

“There is nothing for the person,” Alexander said. “It is all for the dogs.”

So, Alexander did add one more rule to the list.

“Please curb your dog,” she said, adding she would have bags on hand for owners to pick up any canine “accidents.”

While the library has stacks of books about dogs, there are none written in their language so Alexander asked that all canines stay outside.