The “social distancing” that authorities are encouraging or, in some cases, requiring in order to stem the spread of the coronavirus is by definition an isolating experience.
Some animal-shelter official are encouraging pet adoption as a way to stave off loneliness, People reports.
“If you don’t have a pet and are thinking about getting one, now is the perfect time to ‘try it on’ by fostering from your local shelter,” Julie Castle, CEO of Best Friends Animal Society, was quoted saying.
Major health agencies say pets are not a factor in the spread of COVID-19, People notes. At the same time, they can be great for your mental well-being.
During the pandemic, many local shelters are experiencing “a lag in adoptions, an increase in intakes and limited resources,” according to People. Some, such as those in Los Angeles, have had to close temporarily.
Best Friends Animal Society stated in a Facebook post: “For some, this may be a lonely time and there are so many dogs and cats who would love to keep you company!”
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But the organization is, like everyone else, facing challenging circumstances. It explained in another post Tuesday that it had “made the difficult decision to close our sanctuary in Kanab, Utah, to visitors and volunteers — for the first time in our 36-year history — to ensure our staff’s health so that they can keep caring for the animals.”