Pandemic Puppy

Our sweet and beloved Victory, has been such a comfort during this pandemic.  We have all adjusted to our ‘new normal,’ for the most part, going on seven weeks of quarantine, and I am not sure what we would do without her.  Victory has always been a part of every facet of our lives, but she is especially such a source of comfort and solace during this time.  We love her so much.  In fact, other people, who normally would not otherwise have a dog are getting ‘pandemic puppies.’

According to a recent article, “[p]ets have been shown to help ease feelings of loneliness, anxiety, and depression—making them seemingly ideal companions for an emergency situation that demands isolating ourselves from friends, family, and our normal day-to-day interactions.  Pets can also decrease feelings of isolation, and force us to get off the couch every few hours, traits that are perhaps even more important in the era of social distancing, says Kitty Block, the president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States.  According to PetPoint, an application that collects data from more than 1,000 animal-welfare organizations in North America, in the recent weeks, adoption rates have varied greatly across the country, while instances of fostering have increased significantly in aggregate.”  In some areas, there is such a high demand to adopt a dog or animal, that some people leave empty handed and have to return multiple times.

There are also many animals being surrendered to shelters and rescue organizations during this pandemic as their humans are unable to care for them for one reason or another, such as financial reasons.  So, if you think a dog might help you during this time, and you feel you are able to rescue and adopt an animal, for the long term, a ‘pandemic puppy,’ might just do the trick to lift your spirits.  According to this article, “[a]s long as new owners act intentionally and with long-term planning in mind, the prolonged stretch of time at home may likely provide a unique chance for owners to bond with new dog.  This difficult period may mean that people become more attached and attuned to their pets than if they were seeing their animals for only a few hours a day, while working under ordinary circumstances, which may help get them through the hurdles of pet ownership with less frustration.”

Victory has been with us for six-and-a-half years, already, which is difficult to believe.  Importantly, Victory, our rescue sheltie, has given us the invaluable gifts of endless love, joy, and peace during this pandemic.  We feel so grateful and blessed to have her as part of our family; and we are grateful to all be together during this time.

Here is a video where Alex has learned to feed Victory from her high chair versus dropping the food on her mat for Victory to eat!  I know Victory is pleased!