Will the solar eclipse actually hurt my pets' eyes?

You're absolutely correct and Mom doesn't understand eclipses. The eclipse is no different from looking at the Sun normally - and the animals know it hurts to look at the Sun so they don't. And of course you don't either because it hurts your eyes too. Animals don't know about the eclipse and just react normally. It won't hurt them because they know not to let it.

It has been known for birds to react to a total eclipse by going quiet because they think night has come, and when light comes back afterwards, they think it's morning again and start the dawn chorus! Nature can go eerily quiet during a total eclipse. It doesn't understand what it is.

Actually during totality, when the Sun is totally blotted out, it's OK to look. But this only lasts a couple of minutes and when the Moon moves on out of the way, of course the sensible thing is to stop looking. It's only the stupid human animal that insists on looking at it that can cause itself any retinal damage!

Are you actually on the path of totality anyway? It's only a few miles wide, so in the vast majority of the US, it will be a partial eclipse and you probably won't notice anything's happening. Even with 90% of the Sun covered, the other 10% is bright enough that you won't notice the day getting significantly darker, maybe no more than on a normal day with dark clouds.

I know as I've been through a couple of very large partial eclipses and that's what it was like. LOL I remember the August 1999 one which was total right on the south coast of Cornwall, England, so here in London it was 90%+ partial. It got a bit gloomy but that was about all. So I mostly watched it on TV, which involved Patrick Moore (the late astronomer who used to present "The Sky at Night" every month) standing on a Cornish beach saying "it's cloudy and we can't see anything". Now as this is about normal for British weather, the BBC had sent up a plane to fly above the clouds and get better pictures. So I got the best view by staying indoors.

Animals don't look at the Sun as there is no need. They don't know what is an eclipse, to be curious to look at it.

It is dangerous to humans because we are curious (even if ignorant) & take risk to look at the Sun.

Atmosphere becomes somewhat like the dusk after sunset during totality that lasts for 3 to 8 minutes& driven by instinct birds prepare or fly to their nests with the associated cacophony of noises. Cattle, grazing in the open might turn back heading to their homes or sheds. This animal activity (hard to find in US) doesn't involve animals or birds looking at the Sun. House pets adapted themselves to human activity & mostly stay at home.

Your mother is rather dumb.

It will be ok if you don't point at the Sun and say, "Look, boy. It's an eclipse!"

When was the last time that your dog actually looked up directly at the sun?

I've read that dogs may glance at it - I dunno if it's true.... I don't think my dogs are smart enough to notice anything going on - but haven't heard about any others.

Mostly, it's the human animal that tends to stare...

It is only the human animal that can be herded into staring at the sun.

Other animals have more sense.

However it is probably a good idea to keep your pets locked inside, because there will be plenty of lunatics driving around at high speed before, during and after the eclipse which will pose a threat to anything that lives and breathes. Keep them inside and they will be safe.

Cheers!

You seem to have much more common sense than your mother. Animals don't look at the sun- during an eclipse or any other time.

No