The very real Coronavirus Pandemic has led to a very real Loneliness Epidemic. In a survey by the AARP, two-thirds of adults said they’re experiencing social isolation and 66 percent said their anxiety has increased during the pandemic. Essentially, one public health crisis gave rise to another.
There has been, however, one positive outcome in response to the isolation fatigue in Brooklyn and on a national scale. With flexible work schedules, more time at home, and a universal desire for companionship, one notable response has been a startling increase in dog adoptions. The double win of providing homes to a multitude of shelter animals and comfort to lonely residents may be one of the only good things to come out of the pandemic.
The ASPCA reported over 600 online foster applications in New York City and Los Angeles during the second half of March, compared to the average 200 applications. Reported by the AP, New York based nonprofit Foster Dogs Inc. saw the number of applications in the month of August increase from 140 the previous year, to 3,000. Muddy Paws Rescue, an NYC foster-based nonprofit, reported that, after receiving ten times the number of applications in a two week period, the shelters they partnered with were essentially empty.
For Toni Bodon, the increased interest in adopting a dog is palpable as well. Bodon is the cofounder of Stray from the Heart, a New York-based nonprofit dog rescue organization aimed at rescuing and rehabilitating neglected dogs. “If I had to guess, I’d say 25 percent more this time than last year,” Bodon said in regards to the number of applications the organization received. Stray from the Heart has partners in Puerto Rico and Ecuador who care for the dogs until they are matched with the perfect owner and well enough to travel. Bodon is thrilled with the uptick. However, with an emphasis on making sure a candidate is the right fit for a particular dog, the organization’s thorough vetting process makes it a time-consuming mission as well. “We are entirely volunteer-based,” Bodon notes, adding, “it really is a labor of love.”
In going through the multitude of applications, the team looks for stability within potential owners. For instance, they may receive an application from someone who is currently working from home due to the pandemic. But if the person doesn’t know whether they’ll have to return to the office in five months, their application likely won’t be approved. “If they live alone, who is going to take care of the dog then?” Bodon asked. Her core responsibility is in ensuring each dog they rescue finds a solid home.
Because Stray from the Heart doesn’t have a foster center and the rescues are abroad, they’ve also had to work with the COVID travel restrictions when it comes to uniting an adopted dog with an owner. The normal adoption process takes 4-8 weeks, with the added process of flying the dogs over. A rescue in severe conditions will take longer as the dog undergoes necessary rehabilitation procedures, which the organization relies primarily on donations to cover the cost of. Bruno and Gracie are two recent examples of rescues found in critical condition. Bruno needed chemotherapy as well as treatment for skin lacerations. Gracie, an abandoned poodle found on the roof of an empty house in Ecuador, needed emergency care after spending an unknown amount of time unsheltered from the heat and rain without food or water. They named her Gracie “because by the grace of God she was rescued.”
Though the volunteers work tirelessly, it pays off, as evident by the universally satisfied owners upon receiving their new family members. “We have settled in well with our little love bug Hachi,” the parents of a recent rescue wrote via Facebook. “So far his favorite activities are curling up on the couch, sleeping on our laps, and eating cheese treats. He enjoys our walks as well, but not quite as much when it is raining hard — we think he’s still got memories of the hurricanes in Puerto Rico,” they also wrote; a reminder of the hard times these animals have been through.
There are also stories of people who were simply able to slow down enough during the pandemic to complete the adoption process. Joni Wildman, a local Brooklyn resident, adopted a dog earlier this year from Muddy Paws. “I had been looking to adopt before the pandemic hit, but I struggled with elaborate adoption applications,” Wildman said. She was able to find more time for herself during the pandemic, which included more time to work on her paintings. A friend who was fostering for Muddy Paws had one pup in particular named Catch who stood out to Wildman. “Catch looked like the dog in the painting I was making, so I applied. Had to be fate, right?” she said. “He’s been my hiking, beach, running, going everywhere buddy ever since.” Wildman says the added time in her day has given her the opportunity to train catch and help him really adjust to her home.
There’s an underlying beauty in these kinds of matches. The rise in stray dogs who have found warm, loving homes over these past eight months is undoubtedly a wonderful thing. But beyond that, the notion of an owner who has had a difficult time during COVID finding solace with an animal who has likewise had a tough row to hope, makes the relationship between the two a true and genuine companionship.
