How you can protect your pet during the solar eclipse

Pet owners have been warned not to waste money on eclipse glasses for their dogs ahead of next month’s rare solar eclipse.

As millions prepare to watch the partial solar eclipse on August 12, veterinary experts say the biggest risk to pets is not the eclipse itself – but well-meaning owners trying to involve them. Unlike humans, dogs and cats do not normally stare directly at the Sun, meaning they are extremely unlikely to suffer the eye damage that can affect people watching the eclipse without proper protection.

Instead, vets say owners should simply leave their pets alone, keep dogs on a lead if they’re out walking and, if an animal becomes unsettled by the sudden drop in light, take it somewhere calm until the event has passed.

The advice comes as Britain prepares for its most spectacular eclipse in almost three decades. Around 90% of the Sun will be obscured across much of the UK on the evening of August 12, making it the deepest eclipse visible from Britain since the famous 1999 event.

Ángela González, associate professor at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Santiago de Compostela and a veterinary surgeon at the Rof Codina University Veterinary Hospital in Lugo, Spain, said animals are guided by instinct.

“There would be risks if they were to stare at it, but they wouldn’t normally do that,” she said. “Normally, a dog would just be sniffing around and wouldn’t be staring up at the sky.”

She also urged owners not to buy protective eyewear for pets.

“There’s no need to put glasses on them, and besides, most of them aren’t used to wearing them,” she said, adding that owners should never force an animal to look at the eclipse.

Prof González said some particularly sensitive pets could be startled by the sudden darkness.

“It is true that a sudden change in light may frighten them, but normally nothing happens,” she said.

If an animal does become anxious or disorientated, she recommends simply keeping it in a familiar, quiet environment until it settles down.

The advice echoes guidance from US veterinary organisations, including the American Kennel Club, which says pets do not need eclipse glasses because they are not naturally inclined to look directly at the Sun.

Instead, owners should avoid taking nervous animals into busy public viewing events, keep dogs under control outdoors and allow pets to behave normally during the eclipse.

Scientists have also studied how animals react when daylight suddenly disappears.

During the 2017 total solar eclipse across the United States, researchers observed birds abruptly stopping their songs and returning to their nests, while crickets and cicadas began chirping as though night had fallen.

Dogs generally sought reassurance from their owners or lay down, cats often headed for shelter, and cattle and horses drifted back towards their barns.

Researchers concluded these were normal responses to the temporary darkness rather than evidence that animals can somehow predict eclipses.

Despite persistent myths dating back centuries, there is no scientific evidence that animals possess a special ability to foresee an eclipse. Experts say they are simply reacting to an unusual change in light levels.

The warning comes as the UK Health Security Agency urges people not to confuse advice for humans with advice for pets.

People should never look directly at the Sun during the eclipse without certified ISO 12312-2 eclipse glasses or another approved viewing method because permanent retinal damage can occur in seconds. Ordinary sunglasses are not safe.

What owners should do

• Don’t buy eclipse glasses for your pet – vets say they are unnecessary.
• Never force your dog or cat to watch the eclipse.
• Keep dogs on a lead if you’re out walking during the eclipse in case they become briefly confused.
• Take anxious pets indoors to a quiet, familiar room until the light returns.
• Treat it like any other day – most animals will barely notice anything unusual.
• The partial eclipse will begin at around 6.17pm in London, reach its maximum shortly after 7.12pm and end just after 8pm, although timings vary slightly across the UK.

The further south-west you are, the greater the proportion of the Sun that will be covered.