Intense fear, stress, anxiety, and acute hearing can make springtime thunderstorms terrifying - as loud cracks of thunder and rain pour down.
But why?
And how do you keep them safe? As Houston’s springtime thunderstorm season begins.
1.Create a safe space:
Pops of lightning, loud cracks of thunder, and gusty winds that shake the house - all a real reality in springtime. While some pets handle storms better than others, there are signs your pet is struggling and needs a safe space to self-soothe. So what are the signs that your pet is trying to manage their anxiety? Chewing furniture, barking, and scratching doors- are all signs your pet is trying to manage the stress of the storm.
Picking the right space to keep your pet safe during the storm is essential.
Picking areas that makes thunder hard to hear, lightning hard to see, and shakes from the gusty winds hard to feel will help with your pet’s anxiety.
2. ID and microchip your pet:
Houston’s thunderstorms can be chaotic and if you’re not prepared or weather aware- storms can happen in an instant. One crack of thunder could trigger your dog into fight or flight, and they will be running out the door at high speeds for miles - making it impossible for you to catch them.
This is why animal shelters fill up so fast, which is why having a collar is important. But even that could be destroyed making microchipping an important necessity - especially in our spring thunderstorm season. Post-storms, shelters will scan your pet, so while it may be expensive to microchip, you’ll be grateful you did -should you ever get that phone call.
However, shelters can’t call you if they have your old phone number or address. So you’ll want to make sure you always update your information, every time you move or change your phone number.
Let’s say, you take all the proper steps but you have a really cute or expensive pet. Someone could still find your dog, and make the conscious decision not to call you. Having a microchip could protect you from animal theft during a storm because while it sounds like a scene from a crime novel - sadly, it does happen.
3. Spring thunderstorms come with a risk of flood threats too.
Beyond the safety tips above, you’ll want to keep your pets away from standing water, hidden threats like chemicals and critters inside standing water as the risk of drowning continues to rise as flood waters deepen.
You’ll want to elevate their safety space, block access to floodwaters or areas that are prone to flooding and always check your areas after a flood for debris or wildlife that could be hiding in your backyard.