Everyone loves to rant and rave that their pet has cured their anxiety. I’m happy for those people, it must be nice. However, my dog, who I love more than life itself, causes about 80% of the stressors in my life. Why is her left eye squinting more than her right? Is she limping or is that just her walk? I feel like she’s sleeping too much today. She’s not as thirsty today as she was yesterday. Does she even love me? Does she know I’d take a bullet for her? These questions keep me up at night. Today, on April 8, there’s only one question that’s plaguing me regarding my dog’s wellbeing: Are pets ok during the solar eclipse? Naturally, as a neurotic pet owner does, I’ve done my research on the topic.
Are Pets Ok During The Solar Eclipse?
The short answer is: Yes, they’re literally totally fine, it’s crazy to even think that they wouldn’t be! But let’s get into the long answer. Experts have made it abundantly clear that humans should be wearing special glasses in order to prevent vision loss while looking directly at the sun. So what about pets? Does my local PetSmart make solar eclipse glasses that will fit my 5 lb Yorkie? Also, what colors do they come in, because she looks best in cool tones?
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, “There’s really no reason to be concerned about that. 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.”
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Oh, duh. I’ve literally never seen my dog stare directly into the sun. Good to know.
If you do have a pet who loveeeeeees to stare at the sun, there’s a plain and simple answer: Keep them inside! According to Michael San Filippo, a spokesperson for the American Veterinary Medical Association, the biggest risk for your pet is being stepped on by a crowd of people who are all bending their necks to look up.
So there are positives and negatives here. Positives: It’s super unlikely that your pet will go blind during the April 8, 2024 solar eclipse and you can rest easy. Negatives: It’s a gorgeous spring day out and you and your pet are better off staying inside this afternoon.
You win some, you lose some!
Steph Perlman