Fostering Pets in Animal Shelters Growing Because of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Ted S. Warren/Associated Press
With Americans across the country stuck at home, local shelters are reporting an increase in the demand for shelter pets. The New York Times reports in a recent article that when Animal Care Centers of New York City asked Friday for 200 applications to its fostering program they instead received 2,000. New York City residents are normally never home, but with the coronavirus pandemic sending more and more people home, these people can afford to spend more time with a pet. KC Pet Project in Kansas City, Missouri also reported 250 foster requests since Monday in contrast to their normal 10 requests in a day.
Pets also offer companionship for people staying at home alone. Being quarantined can make people feel lonely and pets are a safe avenue for companionship since they are not known to transmit the virus. The New York Times quotes Eileen Hanavan, director of the foster and engagement program at the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals: "A lot of people are facing prolonged periods of time at home and inside. They want companionship and to not feel alone during this unsettling time, and it is benefiting our animals directly."
Some shelters are in need of volunteers to take care of animals during the coronavirus threat because of reduced staffing. CW50 Supernatural star Jared Padalecki is a strong supporter for A Dog's Life Rescue and urged people to foster animals in their local shelters in a recent tweet:
With many Americans now adjusting to working from home and schools scrambling to find new ways of continuing education through the crisis, it's good to know that our furry four-legged friends are not being forgotten.
© 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Information from an article on The New York Times website contributed to this report.
