Thanks Pets, for Saving Quarantine.

May 21, 2020

We all LOVE pets!

During the COVID-19 Global Pandemic we have all heard all sorts of conspiracies regarding how it all started. One of the more entertaining ideas being that our pets started the pandemic to gain more quality time with their families. Did they bite off more than they could chew, you tell me.

Thanks to countless Zoom meeting video-bombs and social media posts, we see clearly now that this extra time with our animals is all we could have ever dreamed of and our fur babies are soaking it in.

Some even say that this time to settle down and focus on quality time at home is what they really needed most.

College student Brooke Peet went back to Las Vegas when all the SDSU classes took the virtual route. During that time her pup, Winston, started having serious breathing issues so she had to rush him to the vet and they found out that he has a pretty serious condition where his esophagus is much larger than it should be but there’s really nothing she could do for him besides caring for him when it flares up and keeping him comfortable.

After that, knowing she had so much more time that she wasn’t going to take for granted, Brooke started meal prepping for Winston with healthier foods and yummy things he likes and even got the stroller so he can enjoy long distance walks with ease. “So I’ve gotten way closer to him through all of this not only because of his health issues but I’ve dealt with being upset, depressed, happy, frustrated, and since I’ve been home this whole time he gets to be a part of all of it, and I’m honestly so thankful that I have him because I feel like I’d be in a bad place without him.” Brooke mentioned when asked about her experience.

Want to Adopt?

Pet adoptions in San Diego County have sky rocketed. With all this extra time alone we are finding that the companionship of a fur baby could be more important than ever. Not only is the increase in adoptions a bright spot in some very uncertain times, it is also a uniquely perfect scenario for both the adopting families and the pet.

San Diego Humane Society and the Helen Woodward Animal Center are among the local animal-welfare organizations that are still operating and still offering many of their services to the animals and humans who need them. They have fewer people working in their shelters, and they are doing adoptions by appointment only, but the importance of adoption is at an all time high.

In addition to The Humane Society and Woodward Animal Center, Companion Animal Hospital is still open, and the AniMeals Food Distribution program is offering free drive thru pet food and kitty litter to pet owners who have recently lost their jobs or are struggling due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

A Pacific Beach couple Maria and Jeff have been talking about getting a puppy for months but couldn’t find the right time since dog training tends to take a lot of scheduling. But, with the stay at home order, they had nothing but time and decided to go for it. “He goes everywhere with us, he’s like our actual baby and this wouldn’t be possible without this extra flexibility in our schedule.” Maria says as she explains how thankful she and Jeff are to be able to adopt a pet during this time.

We Could Learn a Thing or Two

For those of us that have had pets for a while now, there are two important lessons our fur babies have taught us during quarantine.

1.) The Importance of a Nap:

Remember in pre-school when mid-day naps were encouraged to reboot your brain? During quarantine, suddenly that philosophy makes sense and our animals are showing us how it’s done. Pets, especially cats always find the warmest spot in the house for their scheduled rests. Now that we are working from home, that warm spot tends to be our lap top. Let them take a catnap on your keyboard, we deserve a mid-day nap sometimes too!

2.) Sometimes You Have to Get Creative to Stay Active:

During quarantine it makes sense for us to get all kinds of restless. Our animals are professionals at coming up with ways to keep themselves active on a whim so let’s follow their lead. Maybe it’s time for us to think on our toes and finally try that dog yoga you have been seeing all over social media or that trail along the beach you have been meaning to try. We don’t need a gym!