While many humans may be looking forward to the upcoming solar eclipse, their furry companions might be stressed or confused during this rare celestial event.
“The biggest thing that we need to understand is that most pets are not going to look directly at the sun,” explained Dr. Michael Takiwa, of Progressive Veterinary Care. “So that should ease everyone’s mind initially.”
There is no need to purchase extra eclipse glasses for one’s four-legged friend, but pet owners should still be aware that Monday’s two-hour-long event could cause their pet to get anxious.
“The best advice is to keep them indoors. You want to minimize their stress,” Takiwa said. “Minimize their exposure to changes in the light.”
Not much is known about how an eclipse itself can affect animal behavior, but experts do know that animals tend to use the cycle of the sun to regulate their daily patterns, which means an eclipse can throw that pattern off.
“They’ll notice a difference in light so because it’s not happening at a regular time of day – it’s not sleeping time, it’s daytime – so that would be the normal thing,” Takiwa explained. “Some pets might not care, it might not be an issue at all.”
People might notice that their dogs, cats or even horses may go silent and still, or start pacing and being on the lookout.
Experts say the best thing people can do to help with this behavior is to keep pets inside a house or room and to close the blinds. Also, pet owners should try to occupy their pets to keep their minds off the eclipse. Anyone who has a particularly anxious pet should contact their veterinarian.
