Pet adoptions increase during COVID-19 pandemic

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BRANFORD, CT (WFSB) – More people are looking to adopt a pet right now due to COVID-19.

It’s a problem that every animal shelter loves to have.

“For people who are thinking about adopting an animal, this is the perfect time to be in that mindset,” said Laura Burban.

With so many families at home, people are fostering and adopting animals so fast the shelters can’t keep up with the demand.

At the Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter in Branford, all 16 cages were completely empty. In their 17 years of business, that has never happened.

“The week or so before everything went kind of crazy, we already had 50 to 75 applicants that were approved, so we started getting through those applicants at rapid rates and were able to streamline the process and get dogs into home,” Burban said.

At Dog Star Rescue in Bloomfield, it’s kind of good news and bad news. They’re getting dogs placed, but there aren’t enough dogs to go around to families who want them.

They’ve gone from taking in 15 dogs a week to none at all.

“The shelters we work with are only operating at a skeleton crew because people are not coming to work. We take some dogs from the south, some of our transport companies are shut down. Taking in new dogs is really slow right now,” said Dan McCabe, Dog Star Rescue.

Dog Star Rescue is working around the face to face, hands on adoption process. They’re going online with virtual interactions and interviews on their websites.

McCabe believes people who adopt pets still want to meet their new dog in person, but thinks virtual adoptions will become the industry standard.

COVID-19 has impacted fundraising events where many of the shelters receive most of their donations.

They are looking for other ways to help people contribute.