Arizona Humane Society is helping pet owners weather the storm this monsoon season

PHOENIX— The Arizona Humane Society is working to provide pet owners with information about monsoon safety ahead of the season’s start this week.

Monsoon Awareness week started Sunday and will go until Saturday. The information provided by the AHS can help prevent animals from escaping their homes during intense storms.

Visuals during a storm such as lightning and the sound of thunder may create anxiety for a pet, normally resulting in the pet whining, hiding, house soiling or destructive behavior. Many pets are afraid of storms and will try to run away out of fear.

The AHS training team recommends to never punish pets for showing fear and to act calm by interacting with them as if everything is normal. Another way to ensure your pet that the storm is nothing to fear is by creating a positive association with storms. This can be done by giving the pets treats and positive attention during a storm. It is recommended to start this when the pet is very young and continue reinforcing it throughout their lives.

Using exercise or music can be calming to the animal because this helps desensitize the pet from what is actually occurring. The training team suggests drowning out the noise of the storm with appliances in the house or by turning on the TV.

As an extra precaution, it is important to make sure your pet is microchipped and wearing a collar.
AHS offers in-person, private and virtual behavior training courses. More information is available online, as well as information on what to do if your pet goes missing.