INTEREST IN PETS CONTINUES DURING PANDEMIC

A Dream Fulfilled

            When the COVID-19 pandemic first hit the D.C. area earlier this year, and Stay-At-Home orders were implemented, Marissa Townsend, 25 knew it would be the perfect time to fulfill her lifelong dream of being a pet owner. With her busy schedule as a graduate student and community director shifting to a virtual model, she now saw her hectic days travelling around the campus of George Washington University begin to slow down.

As a university employee, Townsend lives on school grounds, and was under strict orders. “We really weren’t allowed to see people…so the idea of me sitting in my apartment alone for an extended period of time, that just didn’t really work for me.” she said. 

Townsend wasn’t alone for long. Like many Americans, she decided to get a COVID-19 companion, a morkipoo- a mix of Maltese, Yorkie, and miniature Poodle- that she named Bourbon.

Pet stores, breeders, and animal shelters say that thousands of Americans like Townsend have done the same since March. Interested pet owners have been adding their names to waiting lists for the newest litters and clearing out the supply of adoptable pets at shelters across the country.

Townsend found her furry friend after searching for puppies on Facebook and talking to colleagues. With jet black fur, a sharp yelp all too common in little dogs, and seemingly endless energy, Bourbon has lived with Townsend in her Mount Vernon residence hall for nearly 9 months.

A companion that Townsend says brings her, “a little piece of happiness with all the craziness chaos and sadness.”

Pet adoption and purchases in the age of COVID

Nearly 10 months into the pandemic, D.C. city life is a shadow of its former self. With the threat of community spread, numerous business closures and cold weather enticing Washingtonians to remain in their homes, many have seen the interest in pets continue as lockdowns return and coronavirus cases spike.

Thomas Thomas is the owner of Windsor Oak Farm in New Windsor, Maryland. He sells various small breed puppies including Shih-Tzus and French Bulldogs. Thomas says that business and interest in his puppies exploded in March and continues into the winter months.

“The website views have gone from 6,000 to 8,000 in a normal 28-day period to between 90,000 and 155,000 [amid the pandemic]…more recently it’s up to 260,000 but it always jumps at Christmas.” Thomas said.

Thomas believes the interest is beneficial for both his business and the animals themselves. He said that people are home more and have the time to spend with their pets.

Regina Cain owner of All-American Pets in Baltimore says that business at her pet shop tripled in March and April, and still remains above normal in comparison to previous years. Cain described the increase in business and purchases of pet supplies as significant and, “a tremendous workload”.

While interest is up, some places where people typically go to adopt pets are having problems supplying them due to coronavirus-related restrictions.

Debra Duel, the director of humane education at D.C.’s Humane Rescue Alliance, says that since March, 793 dogs and 1,755 cats have found homes.  While these numbers are down compared to 2019, Duel says that this isn’t at all due to lack of interest.

Instead, COVID-19 restrictions have led to less transports of unwanted pets from across the county, so the supply of available animals at the shelter has declined.

This has been a common problem in the area. Duel’s daughter, Natalie Perez-Duel, a D.C. area native living in Manhattan, experienced this lack of pet availability first-hand. She was unable to find an adoptable dog in any New York City shelter at the beginning of the pandemic. So, Perez-Duel had to wait months and travelled 6 hours away to adopt her 1-year old English Shepherd mix, Cali. For Perez-Duel it was worth the wait,

“We could not have asked for a better dog and look forward to her being the star of our little family for a long time.” she said.

Not the right time

For many, the pandemic has marked an ideal time to welcome a new furry friend home, Megan Jimmerson, 25 originally thought the same. Jimmerson works alongside Townsend as a community director at George Washington University. Like her colleague, she’d always wanted a pet and had talked to friends and family about the decision.

At the end of March, she found the mini golden doodle puppy she had always wanted via Facebook. After paying an initial deposit of $400, finding a nearby veterinarian, and purchasing puppy care products, Jimmerson began to rethink her decision. While the pandemic provided her with ample time at home, it also left two major issues.

Job insecurity began to weigh heavy on her mind. With the nature of campus residence life changing, Jimmerson was not sure that she’d have a job as the pandemic raged on.

Safety and social distancing also became a concern,

“I am trying to be …very safe with COVID. I’m not really going out…not really seeing

friends beyond those that like work with me…constantly having to leave the house to… go to

the vet, go to get supplies….go for walks, like all of that just seemed like it would be big

responsibility. It wasn’t the mindset I wanted to…. get a dog in” Jimmerson said.

Jimmerson was also worried about her dog not being adequately socialized as she does not want

to be in close quarters with other pet owners.

As a result, Jimmerson decided to delay her pet purchasing plans for the foreseeable future, and now months later has no regrets about her decision.

With the pandemic lasting significantly longer that she initially anticipated, “It’s hard to picture having had a puppy.” she said.

Adapting to reality

Bourbon is the quintessential lapdog and is never too far from Townsend as she studies and works virtually. While the pandemic has made pet ownership easier, it has not been without its hurdles. Townsend admits to feeling overwhelmed at times.  With her puppy requiring frequent bathroom breaks, Townsend says she had to make adjustments to her virtual work schedule,

“I have to put time in between my meetings to… take her out and make sure she’s okay. I definitely had a little buyer’s remorse for the first month or two…it is very stressful.”

However, this new reality is one that Townsend has adjusted to. Bourbon has been a bright spot in a pandemic that has caused loss and loneliness in the lives of so many.

“I honestly like don’t know where I would be mentally and emotionally without her. She has been like the biggest blessing from this pandemic.” Townsend said.