Boom in dog adoptions also brings worries about welfare
Hope for the best and prepare for the worst.
That’s the mentality some local animal rescues, dog breeders and trainers have adopted when discussing what will happen to dogs after quarantine.
Ohio’s seven-week, stay-at-home order in response to the coronavirus pandemic had many adverse effects on the economy, businesses and residents — both of the two- and four-legged variety.
The first change was a puppy boom. Local dog breeders saw such a rapid spike in puppy inquiries that they soon had their available puppies and many future litters spoken for.
Priscilla Mumea, owner of Green Family Companion Kennel in Akron, has had three times more calls for her miniature schnauzer puppies than usual since quarantine began. Samantha Whited, owner of Premier Dobermans in Tallmadge, has 45 people on her waiting list, reserving her next six to seven litters.
Both breeders showed concern that once someone realizes that a reputable breeder won’t or can’t give them a puppy, they will resort to buying from puppy mills.
“I have also noticed the puppy mills ramping up and putting way more puppies out than usual,” Mumea said. “I see a lot of dogs that are potentially going to have health problems, potentially going to have behavior problems, that are being mass produced purposely because of this higher demand.”
Becky Rupert, dog trainer and owner of Naughty Dog Training in Stow, along with others in the dog community fear that the increase in puppy buying will lead to a surge in dog surrenders to local rescues and shelters once the effects of the coronavirus wear off and life returns to normal.
Owners not having enough time for their dogs and a lack of training are what Rupert, Mumea, Whited and Susan Jenkins, dog trainer and owner of Papp's Dog Services in Akron, suspect will be the reason for most surrenders.
“We’re a very disposable society that if it doesn’t work, we just get rid of it, rather than say, ‘I'm going to stick with the good, bad and the ugly,’” Jenkins said.
Kamelia Fisher, executive director of One of A Kind Pet Rescue in Akron, said the rescue already has begun preparing for a possible surge by lining up foster homes in case the rescue is flooded with a greater number of dogs than it can house.
Some dogs already have been surrendered to Fisher’s rescue because of the pandemic, primarily because their owners’ new living situations didn’t permit them to have dogs.
Luckily, the Humane Society of Summit County doesn’t expect the dogs it adopted out during quarantine to return. Director of Development Louise Dilullo attributes this outlook to their appointment-only adoptions and their mission, which she said allows them to better match adopters to their dogs, which often are victims of homelessness, abuse or neglect.
Dogs that people owned before quarantine also could be at risk for surrender due to a lack of training. Trainers, breeders and rescue organizations said that separation anxiety might become a problem for dogs untrained on how to react when their owner isn’t present for extended periods of time.
Jen D’aurelio, owner of the Highland
Heights Camp Bow Wow and manager of the Cuyahoga Falls Camp Bow Wow, said that separation anxiety can show up in a number of ways.
“Sometimes they can manifest digestively, so the dogs will actually have an irritable bowel type of the situation,” D’aurelio said. “Other times it can actually turn into destructive behavior. So, you can have dogs that will eat your couch, ruin your carpet or chew up your front door.”
So, what is the solution? How can current and future dog owners ensure that they keep their furry friends? Research and training are the best bests.
When adopting or buying a dog, Fisher and Mumea said, first look into its breed and consider whether your current lifestyle is compatible with that dog’s needs.
D’aurelio, along with other trainers and breeders, suggests that dog owners keep or establish the routine that they will have after the pandemic so their dogs know what is expected of them when the world returns to normal. For puppies, responsible socialization and crate training also are encouraged.
“With my experience in rescue, it seemed like the most common reason that people surrendered their dog was because of a training issue,” D’aurelio said. “So, they just have to understand that training and socialization is a huge thing for their dog and not ignore it until they have to go back to work in two days and all of a sudden, they don’t know what to do.”