Adopting pets during COVID-19 and how it could be a problem further down the track.

Many animal shelters are reporting that they are empty and like me, you may be thinking this sounds like a good thing, but sadly this could result in future problems.

With people now spending more time at home due to isolation measures, it appears there is no better time to adopt a new family member. The concern, however, is – what happens when you and your family return to work in your respective offices and schools? The reality of keeping a pet might be too much for some.

Newly appointed chief executive of RSPCA Tasmania, Jan Davis had this to say regarding the issue.

“We are in a challenging and uncharted time for humans and for furry friends who are looking for a home. I hope that people will not just return the pets after this is over but keep them at home and look after them”

Ms Davis says that unlike Christmas time, when people give a pet as a present, the animal shelters are usually able to predict the percentage of returns. Yet, with this situation, they are unable to know what is likely to happen to the animals when life goes back to normal. She fears that the newly adopted puppies will likely struggle the most all on their own at home unlike a cat who prefers its own company.

When asked about the reports overseas of cats being diagnosed with the virus, Jan Davis said she would like to state that there has not been any evidence of this occurring in Tasmania or Australia yet, but the community of vets and animal places are being careful, so wish to advise you to keep your animals indoors and to keep social distancing measures in place if you are going on walks with them.