A total solar eclipse is coming on Monday, April 8, and it’s time to get prepared with your special glasses.
And if you’re a pet owner, you might want to prepare for their safety, too.
Whether you’re traveling to view the solar eclipse or staying home, you might be wondering how to properly prepare your pets and how to keep them safe.
Can the eclipse blind my pet?
While you might be scrambling to find special glasses for the eclipse, you don’t need to worry about getting any for your pet.
Thankfully, dogs don’t naturally stare at the sun and only look up toward the sky if something is flying overhead or catches their attention.
“They know enough not to,” Dr. Jerry Klein, the chief veterinary officer for the American Kennel Club, said.
He quipped, “That’s why they’re smarter than people.”
According to the Maybeck Animal Hospital, it’s unlikely that the eclipse will harm your pet any more than a normal sunny day would.
“Dogs and cats generally have an aversion to bright light emitted by the sun as they peer more directly toward it,” a blog post for the animal hospital read. “The discomfort it causes them as they squint is sufficient to override any curiosity they may have to look directly into the sun.”
However, keeping pets indoors won’t hurt just in case, plus it will likely prevent any anxiety.
Don’t force your furry friend to experience the eclipse either — they probably don’t care.
“Don’t make your dog look at the sun, even with glasses,” Klein said. “Your dog naturally doesn’t want to look up, and you shouldn’t force him to.”
Klein also said that while it might be fun to take a photo of your dog wearing wacky eclipse glasses, don’t let them do anything bad, like eat the glasses.
Is the eclipse dangerous for pets?
There’s no direct danger, but keep an eye out for signs of stress and anxiety.
Total solar eclipses are extremely rare, and unless you’re in the path of totality, you might not even realize it’s happening.
Luckily, this means that any stress that comes from the once-in-a-lifetime event is temporary.
The most obvious sign of stress is your pup running away and hiding, but there are also more subtle signs such as whining, panting, pacing, excessively barking, lip licking or yawning, according to the AKC.
To relieve your dogs’ stress, you might want to try playing calming music or distracting them with their favorite toys and treats.
However, we humans are more likely to cause stress to our pet companions during the eclipse than the eclipse itself.
“This is a big occasion,” Klein said. “We’re going to turn this into natural event into an unnatural event. There’s going to be traveling involved, crowds, parties, fireworks and other such things. It’s those things that are most likely to cause problems for your dog.”
“As with any event, like Fourth of July, you want to have your dog under control,” he added. “If you can avoid taking your dog to a crowded place, do that. If you can’t, keep your dog on a leash and make sure they feel safe and secure.”
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) emphasized that our pets tend to mirror our behaviors, so if you’re stressed and anxious, chances are they will be, too.
Since dogs and cats often rely on routine, it’s best to do what you can to keep things as normal as possible.