October 12, 2024, 11:47 am | Read time: 4 minutes
Blowing branches, howling wind, pelting rain: a storm can feel threatening to our our pets. With these tips, your pet will stay relaxed and feel safe even in bad weather.
Offshoots of hurricane “Kirk” are expected in Germany from the middle of the week. The German Weather Service is expecting an “intense storm situation.” However, strong to hurricane-like winds can not only worry people. It also causes a high level of stress in dogs, cats, and small animals, and free-living and outdoor animals may be at risk of death. PETA expert Lisa Kainz has put together some tips to help pets during stormy days.
“The forecast weather conditions are potentially life-threatening for animals,” says Lisa Kainz in a PETA press release. “We appeal to all pet owners to take appropriate measures to minimize the risk of injury and keep the stress level as low as possible for horses, cows, sheep, dogs, and cats.”
Short walks and time at home
Owners usually brave the wind and weather to walk their dogs. If it is stormy outside, you should choose short and familiar walks. Avoid forests and the edge of forests at all costs. On the one hand, the background noise can feel threatening to animals, and on the other hand, there is a high risk of falling branches.
The following applies to anxious dogs in particular: walk for as short a time as possible and secure the animal with a safety harness and a double lead that is not too long.
Calm and distraction
It’s easier with cats: outdoor cats are best kept indoors on stormy days. Many cats don’t even want to go outside in bad weather. However, loud wind and crashing branches can also frighten cats if they stay indoors. Windows should, therefore, be closed and the radio or television switched on if necessary. A familiar noise level will distract anxious four-legged friends from the storm somewhat.
A phone call with a friend in a relaxed voice can also have a calming effect on the dog or cat. Of course, the four-legged friend must not be completely forgotten or ignored. It is best for people to sit next to the animal while they are doing something and sometimes stroke it casually.
Animals also sense when their owners are worried. For example, when you yourself flinch at thunder or check your belongings that are still outside. Calmness, on the other hand, shows them that everything is alright. People should go about their normal activities, do housework, or cook dinner.
If a walk is canceled due to a storm
A hectic pace should be avoided, as should sudden, loud noises. Some animals can be distracted from their fear relatively well in this way. For example, people can play with their animal roommate and cuddle or offer them their favorite treat. Search games are particularly suitable for keeping animals occupied when long walks are not possible.
However, some animals don’t want to leave their hiding place during the storm. This should be respected. If there is no suitable place to retreat to, you can build a den for dogs and cats. This can be achieved by hanging cozy blankets over chairs. If the animal is well accustomed to its transport box, this can also be set up as a place of retreat.
However, the two-legged friends should remain within earshot of their animal companion so that it is aware of their presence. If the animal prefers to stay in a safe hiding place during a storm, it should be left alone.
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Free-living animals are particularly at risk
So, dogs and cats can be pretty well secured during a storm. But what about animals that usually live outside, such as rabbits or grazing animals?
In the best-case scenario, rabbits or guinea pigs that live outside should be kept indoors. If this is not feasible, the hutches must be protected from the wind and controlled so that flying objects do not injure the animals. The hutch should provide a secure retreat where wind and rain cannot penetrate.
A storm can also cause various land animals to panic. Even the sound of the wind blowing through the trees and the strong movement of branches can trigger a serious flight instinct. At best, animals kept outside, such as horses, cows, or sheep, should be brought to safety in the barn and monitored by people who can intervene in case of doubt.
If this is not possible, the grazing areas must be checked, and loose objects must be collected. To prevent an escape from the paddock, fences should be checked and repaired if necessary. It is also important to check the trees on the pasture and adjacent to it so that falling branches do not hit the animals.
With material from dpa