It’s one of those win-win ideas that makes sense now more than ever: why not adopt a pet? Most people are stuck at home under stay at home orders, if not in actual quarantine. Here in South Carolina, as in the vast majority of states, stay-at-home or shelter-in-home orders are still in place. Nothing here on earth provides the companionship, unconditional love, and pretty much constant comic relief like a pet. Dog or cat, or something else, it doesn’t matter. They are simply the best, and they make our human lives life so much better. Nuerous studies have shown they improve your physical health in a myriad of ways, not to mention your emotional and psychological state. This COVID stay at home time is a perfect time to adopt a pet. You’ll have plenty of time to bond with and train your new little buddy.
Begin your Adopt a Pet search online
Seems like we’re doing just about everything else online these days. Why not use the internet to find your new best friend? I found my precious rescue pup Periwinkle online, via adoptapet.com. They are a wonderful web search service, sponsored by the good folks at Purina, Petco Foundation, Chewy, and Bayer. In fact, they are “North America’s Largest Non-Profit Pet Adoption Website.” They connect you with over 17,000 shelters and rescue groups with some of the world’s most amazing animals just waiting for a loving home. If you have your heart set on a particular breed, gender, or size, you can filter by that. A great way to search is to sign up for email alerts. We had owned Jack Russells before, so I signed up for email alerts for any JRT mix within 3,500 miles (LOL). Each day I would get at least one email with loads of adorable dogs ready for adoption. One day a photo popped up, and it was love at first sight. I knew that was my next dog. Early the next morning I drove to the rescue group in North Myrtle Beach and brought her right on home. The perfect match! Another great online service is Petfinder. They’ll help you locate adoptable pets in your area. You can connect with dogs, cats, rabbits, “small & furry,” “scales, fins & other,” birds, horses and barnyard.
Some good news…
There is no shortage of animal shelters and rescue groups across the country. Check your local listings. Most have an active presence on social media, where they regularly post available pets. Several, including the Charleston Animal Society, are adapting to COVID by offering drive through adoptions! Many folks have simply stopped watching the news or checking their news feed, due to the vast quantity of depressing news coming down the pike. And it’s no wonder. There’s a whole lot of bad news out there. Here is some great news - a clip worth watching. It’s a video of volunteers all clapping and cheering at the Friends of Palm Beach County Animal Care Shelter - which for the first time ever, is completely EMPTY of pets needing homes! What a happy sight! A silver lining to this whole weird COVID time. So if you think you might want to adopt a pet, act fast! Also, shelters and rescues are in need of foster homes. It’s an excellent way to ease into adoption, see how a dog would mesh with your lifestyle, and help out on a temporary basis. It will also provide you with an ideal COVID buddy.
Other ways to pass the COVID stay-at-home time
There are some really good ideas out there, and I’ve covered several of them in previous blogs. You can….
- Check out some corporate secret recipes, recently made available for fans to try at home;
- Listen to Dolly Parton read a bedtime story, or enjoy other kid-friendly virtual fun activities;
- Watch adorable and fascinating wildlife webcams from around the globe;
- Take virtual tours for travel lovers.
So hang in there during this very unusual time in history. It just may be the perfect time to adopt a pet. And remember, when it’s time to go on vacation, many of our Isle of Palms vacation rentals are pet friendly. Just give us a call and we’ll connect you with the perfect one. All best, Lowcountry Lisa your Isle of Palms vacation blogger