Dog owners are being urged to think carefully about their usual evening walk tonight as the UK experiences a solar eclipse. Around 90-96% of the sun will be covered, making it the most substantial eclipse seen from Britain and Ireland since 1999.
Why the eclipse could affect dogs
While people enjoy watching this natural phenomenon, it is important to remember that dogs can be affected by changes in their environment too. Dogs may become curious or confused by the unusual changes in light, or anxious on their evening walks with many people around.
Scott Cieslar, animal nutrition expert at Mad Barn, is urging owners of nervous, reactive or easily startled dogs to take their walk earlier this evening. This is because of the solar eclipse, when many people will head to busy parks and open spaces to gather and watch it.
Expert advice for nervous dogs
He said: “Tonight is going to look and feel different from an ordinary summer evening. The light will noticeably fade, the temperature may dip, and there could suddenly be groups of people stopping in parks, cheering, pointing at the sky, or behaving in ways a dog normally expects on its evening walk.
“For many dogs, that will mean absolutely nothing. They will sniff the same lamppost they sniff every evening and carry on with their lives. But an anxious or easily startled dog may react to the change in atmosphere, particularly if their normal quiet walking route suddenly becomes crowded.
“If your dog is nervous around crowds, strange noises or unexpected situations, I would take them out before the eclipse begins rather than deliberately making the event part of the walk.”
Eclipse timings and precautions
The Royal Observatory Greenwich says the eclipse begins at 6:08pm in Edinburgh and Glasgow, around 6:13pm in Manchester and Liverpool, and approximately 6:17pm in London, Bristol and Cardiff. Maximum coverage will arrive shortly after 7pm, before the eclipse ends between 8pm and 8:10pm.
Of course, the weather is also forecast to be warm today, so it’s important to make sure it’s cool enough before taking your dog on a walk. If it isn’t too late after the solar eclipse, this time may also be suitable to take your pet for a walk.
Scott also added that changes in light during the eclipse can cause unusual behaviour in some animals. Dogs that associate suddenly darkening skies with thunderstorms may become unsettled, while excitement and unusual behaviour from owners can also contribute to anxiety.
The expert added: “This is why I would be especially careful about letting dogs off the lead tonight. Even if your dog usually has excellent recall, this is not an ordinary evening.
“A sudden cheer from a crowd, somebody setting up unusual equipment, children running around, or the environment becoming unexpectedly dim could be enough to startle a sensitive dog. Keeping them on a secure lead for one evening is a very simple precaution. The last thing anyone wants is to spend the eclipse searching a park for a frightened dog that has bolted.”
