Solar eclipse 2017: What pet owners need to know before the sun is totally blocked by the moon

If only we could explain what was happening to them

(Andrew Branch)

The whole of North America will today be plunged into darkness as the sun is eclipsed by the moon.

It’s a rare sight to see and many people are understandably excited.

But whilst we are all geared up for the event, our pets have no idea they’re going to be cast into darkness at an unusual time of day.

Animals respond to darkness - it’s a cue that it’s time to go to bed - and the eclipse may confuse them, throw off their routine and scare them too.

So what should you do?

According to Jennie K. Willis, an expert in animal behaviour at Colorado State University, it’s important to make sure your pet is inside with the curtains closed and artificial lights on at the time of the eclipse.

“This will minimise the effect of the eclipse and will just look like clouds darkening the sky,” Willis explains.

Don’t take your pet with you if you’re heading out to get a better view - he or she may panic and get lost.

But if for some reason you have to have your dog with you outside, make sure you keep them on a lead.

“With all the people and the variable responses by wildlife that may be possible, don’t lose your dog because you are relying on it to behave like it usually does,” Willis advises.

You should also try and prevent your pet looking up at the sky - although this isn’t something they’d do normally, Willis explains that dogs in particular tend to follow human gazes so if everyone is pointing up at the sky, they may try to look too.

But just like humans, dogs would need eye protection to look at the sun, so it may be worth bringing a toy to distract them and keep their eyes down.

If you have birds at home, you should cover their cages: “Birds are especially sensitive to light cues and may have vocalisation episodes when sudden darkness then sudden light occurs,” Willis says.

“It would be less traumatic for them to simply be covered like at night for the duration of the eclipse.”