As excitement builds toward Monday’s nationwide solar eclipse, it won’t just be humans enjoying the rare phenomenon. So, are there any safety precautions you should take for your pets during the solar eclipse?
Live updates: Following along our total solar eclipse live blog
While experts have made it clear that the safest way to view the solar eclipse for humans is to wear special glasses in order to prevent vision loss while looking directly at the sun, pets don't need the same eye protection.
"There’s really no reason to be concerned about that," Melanie Monteiro, a pet safety expert who teaches pet first-aid classes and the author of “The Safe-Dog Handbook: A Complete Guide to Protecting Your Pooch, Indoors and Out,” told TODAY.com.
“Dogs and cats don’t normally look up into the sun, so you don’t need to get any special eye protection for your pets.”
However, while it’s not normal behavior for cats and dogs to look up at the sun, taking extra precautions certainly can’t hurt.
Pets and the eclipse
Do not try to get your pet to look at the eclipse, as doing so can damage their eyes. (Dogs and cats typically don’t look directly at the sun on their own.)
Otherwise, there’s no hard data about anything dangerous for pets during a solar eclipse, Michael San Filippo, a spokesperson for the American Veterinary Medical Association, told TODAY — though there have been stories about cows heading back into barns or chickens going to roost during the eclipse.
“Looking at evidence of the past, there’s no history of dogs showing up the day after an eclipse with pet blindness or anything like that,’’ he said.
Dr. Carly Fox, a veterinarian at Schwarzman Animal Medical Center, told the American Animal Hospital Association that she’s also never seen any documented reports of eclipse-related eye damage in pets.
The biggest risk to pets during the solar eclipse is bringing them to a place that will be crowded with people watching the eclipse.
“I think when you talk about risks, that’s really what we’re more concerned about,’’ San Filippo said. “Are you going to be somewhere where there are large crowds with a lot of people making loud noises, and how is your pet going to react to that?"
“We would recommend keeping them at home for those kinds of events," he added.
If you choose to take your pet to watch the eclipse, San Filippo and Monteiro both said putting them on a leash is important.
“Pets cue on our behavior so much, so if you’re out with your dog watching the eclipse and freaking out, your dog is probably not reacting to the eclipse. It’s reacting to how you’re behaving,’’ San Filippo said.
As a result, it's important for you to stay calm if you bring your pet with you to view the eclipse, Fox advised, adding, "Pets are sensitive to our emotions and actions, so staying composed is key."
It can also benefit your pet to try to keep it on the same schedule and have it do familiar activities to prevent stress, Fox said. And try to walk your dog before the eclipse hits your area.
If you're traveling with your pet to see the eclipse, be aware that driving may take longer than you're expecting due to the millions of people traveling to see the eclipse, so make sure you have plenty of supplies to keep your pet comfortable in the car.
And put your collar on your pet with your contact information and have a recent picture of your pet handy, in case it does get spooked by the solar eclipse and tries to bolt.
Is it safe for pets to be outside during the eclipse?
“I would recommend to pet owners that you keep your pets indoors if possible and keep them confined the same way as you would on the Fourth of July or other similar occasions,’’ Monteiro said. “If you have the sort of pet that’s normally sensitive to shifts in the weather, they might be disturbed by just the whole vibe because the temperature will drop and the sky will get dark.”
San Filippo agreed that it's best to keep pets at home indoors for events like a solar eclipse.
Signs of eye damage in pets
Again, it's unlikely your pet will experience eye damage due to the solar eclipse because animals don't tend to look directly at the sun.
However, if you're still concerned, Fox offered these signs of eye damage in pets to look out for:
- Squinting
- Discharge from the eyes
- Changes to the appearance of the eye
If you notice any of these in your pet in the days after the solar eclipse, contact your veterinarian.