Thursday, August 17, 2017

Animals and the Eclipse

Are you waiting for the eclipse? I am! I have my eclipse glasses with "ISO" printed on the ends. I know where I will be. And, I am making sure my faithful puppy, Blue, is safe. What? You didn't know that your animals might need to be protected during the eclipse? Well they do.

The solar eclipse will be here Monday, August 21st. When it happens, the shadow of the moon will block the light from the sun, but your will see a ring of fire because the sun gets brighter. That brightness can make our eyes cloudy and blurry or even make us blind. 

My vet says Blue probably won't look at the sun, but I'm taking no chances. She will be inside with the blinds closed. But that made me wonder about all the wild animals in the eclipse path. 

NASA says that animals may think it is twilight--you know that time after sunset when the temperature cools down and it's getting dark. That makes me wonder if the owls will think, "Hey, I just went to sleep," and swoop out of their hiding place in the trees. And what about the other night creatures? 

Animals like the moths, the crickets, the bats, the bobcats, the cougars, the opossums, the raccoons, the coyotes, and all the little crawly things that like the cooler night air and darkness might decide it's nighttime and wander out of their nests or dens. If you are an animal lover like me, this might be the best time to pay attention to more than the eclipse. Whatever you do, be safe, wear your glasses, and keep your pets inside. Have fun! Oh, and I am back!


"Some think it's cool, but I think it's cruel to endanger any animal."