Owning a pet is one of the most rewarding things one can experience in a lifetime. You get to have that trusty old companion that will never judge you, will forever love you, and will always be by your side until their last breath. They got the biggest heart and love to share, giving you more than enough reasons to want more than one pet.
During the pandemic, pets greatly help in taking care of our health. They help by retaining our routine and ensuring we got someone to talk to and play with while social distancing and staying at home. Our pets make us want to wake up each day and continue to live even if the world is currently dominated by the pandemic.
Pet Adoptions and Fostering Mid-Pandemic
Even pet lovers made sure they get a pet of their own during the crisis. What used to be swamped shelters now lay empty after many people chose to adopt and foster pets. They wanted one that can keep them company while sheltering in place.
Pet parents love the fact that their pets are helping calm their anxiety. Instead of focusing on the bad news, they have a friendly companion keeping them preoccupied. Their pets are keeping them busy enough throughout the day, taking their focus away from the negatives.
Others say their pets are helping them stay healthy and active during the crisis. Since dogs require enough physical activity to burn their extra energy, they manage to stay active. They spend time playing with their pets, walking them, feeding them on time, and giving us a sense of purpose and responsibility.
A study also shows pets are helping boost their owner’s mental health. Pet parents have a higher level of self-esteem compared to those without a pet. One can associate this with the fact that it becomes easier to socialize when you have a pet.
Pet Parenting Challenges During the Pandemic
But we need to remember that not everyone is doing well during the covid-19 crisis. Even some pet owners are having a hard time during the crisis. They now face numerous challenges that are changing and affecting the way they tackle pet ownership.
Financial Challenges
Many people lost their jobs and source of income when the pandemic hit. This means they are not only providing for their needs using what little income they have. They also need to make sure their pets’ needs are met.
Pet owners spend money on pet products, vaccines, checkups, emergency health checks, and even dog training services. Although there are healthier alternatives to some dog products, it will still cost them money. Some pet parents end up struggling to provide both for themselves and their pets while they look for another source of income.
Pet Parenting and Remote Work
Some companies opted to make their employees work from home during the pandemic. For pets, this meant more time with their humans. While many pet parents are in love with this idea, one can’t ignore the fact that some pets are more playful and excited than others.
Some remote workers struggle to ensure their pets are behaving well while they are in the middle of a meeting, an interview, or even an important conference call. Some pets are too noisy, too clingy, or simply too excited to play with their busy owners. Other owners struggle to keep their focus on their job due to their attention-seeking pets.
Issues in Socializing With Other Pets and People
Social distancing also meant pet parents are trying hard to keep their pets safe from contracting the virus. There were cases when pets came in contact with a Covid-19 patient and experienced mild symptoms. While it is unclear if even animals can die due to the virus, some prefer not to put their pets at risk.
This meant pet owners prefer to keep social interactions to the minimum. They limit play dates with their pets at the dog park. They are cautious when walking their dogs, and they prefer to shy away from both strangers and loved ones with whom they don’t live with.
Housing Challenges
There are some pets whose owners got sick from the virus and had to be hospitalized. Their owners fear about their pet’s safety, health and security now that they are not capable of caring for their pets. With no one else to care for them, pet owners are left with no choice but to allow other people to care for their pets.
Some were taken to shelters while others are taken to foster care. Pet parents who tested positive and are still able to care for their pets are already looking for temporary arrangements in case they needed to be confined. They try to contact their nearest loved ones, neighbors, or even pet hotels just in case.
With pets being another reason for their health and sanity, it only makes sense why more of us are into pet ownership during the pandemic. But then, there are a few challenges pet parents face during the crisis. They worry about many things including their own jobs and financial health as well as their pet’s health and well-being. One can only hope for the crisis to be over soon, so they can finally get over these issues.
