Health
More Americans Adopt Pets as Stay-at-Home Orders Persist
The coronavirus pandemic persists – forcing people to continue to stay at home. This leads to others opting for a furry pets during quarantine.
As Americans stay at home, animal adoption centers are seeing a surge in pet fostering and adoption rates.
Fox Business explains that animal shelters and rescues were forced to close. This was due to concerns over the spread of the coronavirus earlier this year. This led Americans to step up and rush to care for animals. Many are “easing a burden on shelters and providing homes — even if just temporarily — for homeless dogs, cats and other pets,” said Fox Business.
The number of animals in shelters varies throughout the year. Meanwhile, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) reports that there has been nearly a 70 percent increase in animals going into foster care. This is through the organization’s New York City and Los Angeles foster programs. This is in comparison to the same period last year.
Foster Care for Pets
For the first time ever, every dog has been adopted in the Friends of Palm Beach County kennel.
Pet adoption rates have been on the rise during the #coronavirus pandemic in the U.S. pic.twitter.com/6GbGF7Xarp
— Bloomberg Quicktake (@Quicktake) April 16, 2020
More than 300 animals from the ASPCA’s New York City and Los Angeles foster programs are currently in foster care.
“We’ve seen an incredibly compassionate response from people willing to open their homes to foster vulnerable shelter animals during this period of uncertainty,” said ASPCA President and CEO Matt Bershadker.
“Fostering puts shelter animals in safe and loving homes,” he said. This program also “helps shelters conserve their space and resources, and provides people with comfort and companionship,” he added. “It also helps shelter animals acclimate to an eventual life in a home. We applaud all those stepping up for animals in need, even in the midst of so much anxiety.”
Humane Society of the United States CEO and President Kitty Block shared a similar remark: “Pet adoption and fostering are critical now more than ever. Animals bring us pure joy and unconditional love. With people staying home right now, it can be an ideal time to settle a pet into your home and get to know each other.”
“The companionship is enriching for both the humans and the pets. If a permanent pet is not an option, fostering is an incredibly rewarding experience. Foster homes increase the capacity of shelters to save more lives, provide a safe and comfortable environment for the animal,” Block added. He also said that it “can bring health benefits to the foster family.”
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