Quarantine has been hard on everyone, but some have changed their life as they know it by welcoming a new furry friend to their family.

One local shelter, Wolf Trap Animal Rescue, says that pets need people to take care of them even more in these unusual times. 

“Everybody seems to want a dog or cat, and that’s been good news for rescues that work to find animals forever homes,” reported The Sentinel, a small newspaper in Aurora, Colorado.

Shelters have seen a rapid increase in adoption and foster rates all over the country. The New York Times reported that one animal care center in New York City sent out applications for fostering, hoping for only 200 applicants but instead, 2,000 people applied. Animal shelters barely have enough pets to go around because they are being adopted so fast.

This trend shows how desperate people are for company in these tough times. This phenomenon is being reported around the country.  Pennlive, a publication in central Pennsylvania, reported on a survey by Rover.com, a national pet care company. According to the story, 93 percent of the survey’s respondents said that their dogs have positively impacted their mental health during the pandemic and have brought them joy and happiness.

Longfellow’s community is no different. After months of hanging around the house, Brenda Z., a Longfellow grandparent and soon to be dog mom, decided she needed some company.

“I’ve had a lot of dogs most of my married life, and I find, now that my husband has gone, that it’s awful quiet around here. And one Saturday night, it was very quiet, and I thought to myself, you know, if I had a dog sitting on the sofa next to me, I would talk to him, and he would listen!”

In addition to wanting a new family member, Brenda would love to help an animal in need.   

“To be honest with you, I’m looking for a dog that really needs a home, and maybe one whose owner for some reason couldn’t keep them anymore and had to put them up for adoption, and I don’t mind if he’s a little older, I don’t mind at all. I just want to give him a good and happy home,” said Brenda.

Not all adoptions are dogs and cats, though. Haya A, a Longfellow student, recently adopted a parrot, a pineapple green cheek conure called Mango. She said that sometimes she even forgets she’s in quarantine when playing and having fun with Mango.

“If people are willing to take care [of] and love such cute animals, it is a great way to spend time and have fun while staying safe in quarantine,” said Haya.

Although it is a busy time for shelters, they are grateful for people adopting so that the pets can have a better life. There has been a huge increase in cat and dog adoptions; compared to this time last year, adoptions have been up 60%, says Lost Dog and Cat Rescue in Virginia. Things are really looking up for canine companions. 

Are you feeling lonely or bored at home? If so, maybe this is the perfect time for you and your family to adopt a pet. Many local shelters would love to help you find the perfect pet, including Wolf Trap Animal Rescue, Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation, and Homeward Trails Adoption Center, all close by in Virginia.