Are not just for the social isolation period
Written by Suzana Talevski
By now you would have heard the term “Pets are not just for Christmas” but now is a good time to get used to another similar concept…..”Pets are not just for Iso.’’
Animal welfare organisations in Australia fear unless people make responsible decisions about adopting, they will see surrender numbers spike post the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pet adoption comes with an abundance of benefits for the human involved including companionship, stress relief and general well-being. For the animal adopted, it is life-changing. You are providing an animal with the second or in some cases a third chance they deserve. Many come from horrific circumstances such as cruelty, neglect and abandonment, or quite simply their owners were no longer able to look after them due to illness or a change in the situation.
The Lost Dogs’ Home is imploring people to make careful choices when adopting pets during the current period of social and self-isolation. While it strongly welcomes and encourages adoptions, The Lost Dogs’ Home is asking people to: Evaluate, Research and then Act (ERA).
Evaluate: Consider your living environment, lifestyle and those that already exist in the household. Are you living on a large property or a medium to a small apartment? How much time are you able to dedicate to your pet after the pandemic is over and everyone goes back to their normal routines? Are there other pets in your household that do not like to share their space? Are there small children present?
Research: Take an in-depth look at the type of animal that you are considering adopting. Some cats, for example, do not take kindly to sharing their homes with other cats, some dog breeds are suited to larger spaces and some of our animals are simply not readily suitable in a busy home environment and would suit a slower quieter lifestyle. Take your time researching the animal you have chosen from our website to make sure it’s a long-term decision.
Act: Make a responsible decision. If you are not able to continue caring for your selected animal in the same or similar way that you are doing during the isolation period, chances are you may be making the wrong decision.
Shelter staff work tirelessly to nurse animals back to health, rehabilitate animals with behaviour issues and do everything they possibly can to ensure they are prepared to go to a new home. When they leave our shelter, we want to make sure it’s for the first and last time.
Despite our stringent adoption processes, it really is heartbreaking watching some of our beautiful animals returned because people didn’t fully consider their potential obligations to the animal.
