While the eclipse itself is not dangerous to domestic animals such as dogs and cats, experts say it's probably best not to bring your pets to experience the total solar eclipse in April 2024. .
Dr. Lena Carlson, president of the American Veterinary Medical Association, said experts' biggest concern is not what's happening in the sky, but what's happening on the ground, where people are excited and anxious.
“More than the effects of the eclipse, I'm worried about the excitement and all the people,” she said.
Dogs in particular take their cues from their owners more than from heavenly events.
A series of solar eclipse warnings:Be aware of dangers in the air and on the ground on April 8th
Dr. Jerry Klein, chief veterinarian for the American Kennel Club, says dogs that are sensitive, anxious, or will be hit hard by the storm will pick up on the emotions of people gathered to watch the eclipse. He said it was highly likely.
This is especially true for pet owners who may travel long distances to view the eclipse.
“They're going to respond more to our reactions, our excitement, our anxiety, than they do to the actual eclipse,” Carlson said.
What if I need to bring my dog to see the total solar eclipse in April 2024?
If you must bring your dog to an eclipse viewing event, put your dog first.
“Try to keep them stress-free and give them time-outs if needed,” Klein says.
“If you're worried about how your dog will react, you should leave your dog indoors. That's the simplest solution,” he reiterated.
For those who don't or can't leave their dogs at home, he offered the following advice:
“Make sure they have plenty of fresh water, aren't too crowded, are on a leash, and have a way to jump out and find you if they get lost,” he says. To tell.
Carlson cautioned that pet owners should plan for possible fallout if they take their pets out to view the solar eclipse.
In 2017, massive traffic jams occurred as thousands of people tried to leave narrow country roads en masse after that year's solar eclipse. Carlson was working in Idaho at the time. Just north of her clinic, she found a spot with some of the best views in the country.
“What would normally be a two-hour drive took some people seven or eight hours,” she said. “We need to make sure we have extra water for them and be able to get them out and eliminate them,” she said.
Some dogs bark and some dogs don't. Cats don't care.
There isn't a lot of research on how pets react to solar eclipses. But being there seems to indicate that they are not strongly influenced. The latest study was published earlier this month and was conducted during a partial solar eclipse on October 14, 2023. The study reported the behavior of more than 200 animals, primarily dogs.
“About half of people said their dog started barking or howling during the eclipse; “I answered that I no longer do it,” he said. Researchers and people studying animal behavior during solar eclipse.
The reaction may simply be based on the dog's personality, he says.
People who were far from the 2023 solar eclipse's main path, in areas where its effects would have been dimmed only briefly, saw no noticeable changes in animals.
“The closer you get to complete darkness, the greater the reaction,” he said. “But the reaction was in both directions.”
There were no reports of the dog running or running around, and the cat owner did not notice any reaction.
“The cats didn't care, at least not enough to give us data,” Hartstone-Rose said, “but maybe they were thinking about it. ” he added.
The study's sample size is too small to draw definitive conclusions, so he's asking thousands of pet owners to send in their observations on April 8 as part of the Eclipse Safari citizen science project. I believe.
“We need more data,” he says.
No need to worry about your pet's eyes even during a solar eclipse
Carlson said there's no need to worry about your pet's eyes during the eclipse.
Dogs usually only look up at their owners or to see if there is a treat available. “They don't have the instinct to look up at an eclipse,” she says.
You may be excited to see the eclipse, but experts unanimously say, “Don't let your dog watch the eclipse.”
“They don't like bright light. Unless we force them to do something that's not naturally beneficial to them, they tend to turn away from it,” said Peter, who has worked as a small animal emergency veterinarian for more than 35 years. Klein said.
He added that eclipse glasses are not necessary because dogs don't have to worry about getting hurt by seeing the blocked sun.
Where to get free eclipse glasses:Give away glasses such as Sonic, Genis, Warby Parker, etc.
“I have never had an emergency situation with eye problems or problems caused by a dog staring at an eclipse,” he said. “Animals are too smart to do anything they think is bad for them.”
Carlson said any type of eye covering is simply a concern. “Glasses and other eye protection can be more bothersome and stressful than just hanging out with the owner.”
