There is little that saddens and angers me more than reading articles like I did this morning about the predicted uptick in pandemic pet return to animal shelters. What this means is that there are great deal of dogs and cats, that were adopted during the pandemic when people had more time, only to figure out what when their post-pandemic lives hit, they no longer had the time or interest in caring for these animals. Animals that likely brought them a great deal of joy and comfort during the darkest days of the pandemic, and for their kindness and love, they are cast aside because of a lack of human foresight.
I should say before I really wind up here, that there are instances where taking a pet to a shelter is considered humane. Sometimes lives change unexpectedly and the shelter where they can be cared for, even in the somewhat less than perfect conditions, is far better than releasing them in a park, or full on abandoning them. So we should all do our part to make sure animals are cared for; and to make sure that we are fully supporting our local animal shelters through donations and with supplies. Together, we can take better care of animals as a community, even when some in the community cannot.
But back to the increasing problem. People just do not have the foresight to see what adopting an animal really means. They lack the responsibility skills, or worse, fail to care enough beyond their own selfish desires to do so, the consequences of the actions, and how it affects other living beings. They do not see how adopting an animal can bring joy to an animal that only wants to be loved and cared for; and will then give back that love ten-fold. And then to be abandoned again, the sheer emotional trauma (and yes dogs and cats do experience emotional trauma), of being abandoned again. My neighbors volunteer at the Wallingford Animal Shelter, and they have told me heart-breaking stories about the emotional trauma faced by dogs and cats in an endless cycle of animal shelters, where despite the best efforts of volunteers, donations, and local community support, its still not “home.”
We take having a home like that for granted every day…even the best of us. We take for granted that we have a support system of friends and family…all the time. We are largely a very selfish race; driven by our own individual desire to care for ourselves, and not having a good enough sense of outward awareness for other people. And that needs to change. Now.
These animals are defenseless, and at our mercy. Human atrocities are heart-breaking, but animal atrocities are gut-wrenching. These animals only want to be loved and cared for, and they will love, defend and protect those who show them that love.
My wife and I waited a long time to get a dog because our chaotic work lives took up too much of our time. We couldn’t be home (you can’t work be out of the house 10-12 hours a day during the week and care for a dog), and couldn’t spend time with a dog like we would want to, and even though that meant not getting one, we knew we had to wait until we could. Luckily for us, the pandemic changed our lives, and through a series of permanent changes (and I emphasize permanent changes), we can now begin to transition to new normal life with our dog cemented in the center of it.
I do not tell that story to make you think that we are saints. I do not tell you that story to make you think that we think we’re saints. But we have tried, and we took care to be ready. So I encourage everyone to adopt a dog or a cat. And to love them, spend time with them, and make them a part of your home. But make sure before you do, you are ready to do so. Make changes in your work and life schedules so you can be present for them. And show responsibility; because that responsibility has very real consequences. You can change a life, or destroy one. And their lives matter too.