Pandemic puppy craze
When Tiffany and Sean Taylor lost their 13-year-old Pomeranian Vinny, it left a hole in their hearts and in their home. On maternity leave with new baby Daphne during a very strange time, Tiffany felt strongly about getting another dog. Sean was still working as an outside sales rep, and they were all feeling the pressures of COVID-19.
The family also has another Pomeranian named Phoebe, and she was feeling the loss as well. “Phoebe is much more timid than Vinny was. He was a big personality. He left a big void,” says Tiffany.
She knew they would get another dog and had always been interested in the ‘ adopt don’t shop’ philosophy, so after a lot of research and soul searching, that’s exactly what they did.
They ended up adopting Mindy, a beautiful black lab cross, through Full Circle Dog Rescue out of Ancaster and are happily adjusting to life with their newest family member. Mindy was a stray from Texas who had been hit by a car. She had severe trauma to her hind leg and though the bone is healing well, she needs lots of extra care including chiropractic care, pain therapy and plenty of exercise.
“We took a leap of faith. She has a bit of separation anxiety, but she already feels like she is part of the family.”
The Taylors are among countless people who have adopted a dog during what has been dubbed the “Pandemic Puppy Craze”, but they were not looking to adopt simply because of COVID-19. “We had a lot of extra love to give to a dog that needed it. With Sean being home a bit more and me on mat leave, I knew we had the time to do it as well.”
According to local SPCAs, demand for pets has certainly been on the rise in the past 10 months. Adopting a pet, however, is a serious commitment.
“Our advice for those looking to adopt an animal during the pandemic is to really think it through and decide whether caring for an animal would still work for them when things return to normal,” cautions Anya Barradas, marketing and communications manager with The Humane Society of Kitchener Waterloo & Stratford Perth.
Barradas says that adoptions at the humane society have been steady and that the number of people looking to adopt pets is certainly higher than normal.
Emily Craigen, community and development coordinator at the Peterborough Humane Society says that for that area adoptions were actually down (519 versus 991) year over year.
“The numbers are down, but the demand is still huge,” said Craigen, adding that the restrictions from COVID have played a big role in this. Pets need to be spayed or neutered (sometimes by local veterinarian offices which are by appointment only) and the application process is very different than it used to be. Gone are the days of visiting in person and choosing animals (or having them choose you) – everything is now being done online and that has also impacted the entire adoption process.
The Hamilton/Burlington SPCA (HBSPCA) has actually mandated a no contact adoption process, which is outlined on their website.
“There are actually a very limited number of animals physically in our centres. The rest are being cared for remotely. All available animals for adoption are placed on our website,” says Barradas, echoing this statement.
“Anyone interested in adopting an animal has to fill out a form online and our staff will review their application and set up a time for the foster parent to bring in the animal for them to meet. Due to the change in our adoption process, we’ve found that there are less ‘impulse’ adoptions than in the past. People can’t just walk in off the street and see what animals we have for adoption on any given day and adopt one on the spot.”
Animals are proven to help with depression and anxiety. And since the pandemic was declared in March, more people found themselves sequestered at home and in search of companionship. Many opened their hearts and their pandemic bubbles to pets. The two things just go hand in hand.
For Laura Duxbury, the past year was difficult. The Hamilton resident spent much of the past few months recovering from an accident and in October one of her beloved cats – Caesar – died. It has been a difficult time.
“I was lucky enough to be with him at the end,” says Duxbury, offering nothing but praise for the Blue Cross Animal Hospital on King Street West. “The staff was very caring and empathetic,” she says. Though Caesar was 18 and lived a long life, she did not want him to suffer. She’s also got Gracie, a three-year-old cat, but she is ready for another ‘buddy’. A self-described pet person, she knows what she is looking for but just hasn’t found it yet. She has been looking into adopting and may even consider a rescue as well.
Dogs and cats are not the only animals that people are looking to adopt or buy either! Bunnies, birds and bearded dragons are also available.
Bottom line is that whatever choice you make, be ready to commit – financially, emotionally and for the long haul.