Last night, we told you how you can keep safe while this smog looms over the area but what about our furry friends?

FOX56’s Jake Sarwar continues our team coverage and shows us how to keep our pets safe.

As we entered day two of the haze, a thicker and more dense smog made its way across our area. At one point on Wednesday, the Wilkes-Barre area saw an air quality index of over 300.

The EPA states that this level is hazardous to everyone, not just select groups with respiratory health conditions.

As the smog grew denser, it got me thinking if this can be harmful to humans, what about our pets? What risk does this pose to them?

I stopped by the Scranton Animal Hospital where Dr. Kyle Dorton explained that pets can be affected by smog. Dr. Dorton understands that many animals, like dogs, need to be let out to go to the bathroom, but encourages every pet owner to limit that time outdoors.

“I would say to just limit them to leash walks only to go to the bathroom, you don’t want them engaging in any type of physical activity, so no ball chasing or aggressive outdoor play” says Dr. Dorton.

Dr. Dorton says that keeping pets inside during these days will be beneficial for them.

“If you have a HEPA filter system, keep it running in the house. If you have central air, make sure that you have filters that are up to date” said Dorton.

Ok, so just like humans, it is important to keep our pets inside and safe but what about outdoor animals, especially the many that live on farms?

I had the chance to speak with Dr. Maral Avetian, owner of North Winds Veterinary Services, who explains the best practice now for anyone with barn animals is to make sure that they are in an area that is well ventilated.

“Good airflow, whether that be indoors or outdoors depending on your setup, make sure that they have access to fresh water that should be all the time, but especially now. We’re really recommending that people keep a close eye on their animals, especially any with preexisting respiratory conditions” says Avetian.

Manor Hill Farm offers horse riding for children of all ages, but due to the smog, had to cancel their rides. Owner Nina Leeds tells me that it has been hard to navigate this situation.

“I’ve definitely never seen anything like this and I think because of that, people and myself included, are struggling to figure out the best thing to do” said Leeds.

We want to remind everyone to keep animals that can be indoors, there as long as possible and make sure that outdoor animals have enough ventilation.

We are hoping to see a break in some of the haze by tomorrow. The National Weather Service has issued an air quality alert in place until 1:30 Thursday afternoon.