Stormy SOLUTION

Ease your pet’s stress when bad weather hits with our tips

Many pets are petrified of storms. Take a look at your furry friend and you’d think their world was about to come crashing down around them! Here are some simple steps you can take to help ease their anxiety.

MOVE INSIDE

Don’t take any risks – assume a stressed pet will try to escape. So the best place for them is in a “safe zone”. A laundry or another well-insulated room is ideal for your little buddy’s bunker. Close all the windows and curtains, and turn the lights on to block out flashes of lightning.

Then play music to drown out the noise of the thunder or consider putting some washing on. It may sound strange, but it will provide non-threatening vibrations that drown out those coming from outside.

DESENSITISE THEM

If storms happened daily, our pets would get used to them. So make them feel more normal by downloading the sound of a thunderstorm and playing it on a stereo – initially at low volume then building up the level. This will teach your pet that storms are nothing special or out of the ordinary and therefore they’re nothing to worry about.

RUN THE SHOWER

The flowing water produces negative ions that neutralise the static electricity a storm generates – which is what’s believed to play the largest part in causing storm stress.

MEDICATE THEM

No-one likes having to use pills to appease problems, but if your pet’s phobia is extreme, it is an option. There are tablets that could ease their anxiety enough that they learn to live with storms. Speak to your vet about the best medications.