In the United States, the spread of a new coronavirus (COVID-19) is generating issues for animals in animal shelters. Some dogs and cats are facing euthanasia owing to overcrowding in shelters, many of which are closed to the public due to municipal regulations. Shelter employees are being forced to make terrible choices due to a lack of resources, space, and personnel…
However, because of the efforts of one volunteer-driven rescue operation in suburban Washington, D.C. called Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation, the virus is providing a second shot at life for a large number of suitable animals.
Since the outbreak of the pandemic began, Lost Dog and Cat have received an unusual amount of requests from members of the general public to foster or adopt animals. Considering that it is home to over 364,000 federal employees, a large proportion of whom are working from home, the metro region is well suited for this kind of initiative…
An organization of almost 300 active volunteers started in 2001, Lost Dog and Cat has joined forces with southern allies in Mississippi, Georgia, and the Carolinas whose members have been saving dogs from the brink of death for years.
Their dedication to animals is evident as they go from county to county in these southern states, hand-picking the most adoptable dogs from death shelters before vaccinating, crating, and bringing them by the truckload north to Washington, D.C.
According to the American Society of Animal Shelters (ASPCA), 6 to 8 million cats and dogs enter the country’s animal shelters every year, so the supply isn’t surprising. However, the demand is enormous…
The co-founder of Lost Dog and Cat, Pam McElwee, states, “We could never have predicted the tremendous increase in adoptions and foster applications that we have witnessed since the epidemic.”
“As each passing day in March became more gloomy and dreadful, we started to see a rise in the number of individuals interested in adopting a new family pet.”
Now, at least once a week, a fresh group of animals is brought into the shelter by volunteers. Almost all of the dogs have found homes before they even arrive at the kennels, owing to a professional and committed matching staff that successfully matches the preferences of fosters and adopters with the peculiarities and features of the arriving animals.
According to McAlwee, the number of people adopting each week has more than doubled since the virus struck, and the trend is showing no signs of stopping. “We are now adopting out 60 to 70 dogs every week,” said the organization…
“The whiteboard where we put all of our adoptions is just too tiny, and we are overjoyed that we will be able to buy a bigger board,” says the couple…
And these bonds — despite the fact that they are often created during moments of fear and worry for many people — are just as helpful to humans as they are to animals…
As McAlwee explains, “I had one family tell me that the lessons their new dog is teaching their children about responsibility, caring, and unconditional love are things they could never have learned in school.” “We’re discovering that there is, in fact, a silver lining.”
Many of Kim Williams’ days are spent making sure the shelter’s new canines get to where they need to go, whether it’s planning transport or facilitating medical visits for sick animals. Kim Williams has been volunteering with the rescue for more than a decade. She expresses her gratitude for the community’s reaction to the crisis, which she finds very moving.
In response, she adds, “we’ve had an astounding number of families express their want to assist in any way they can.” When they received their foster dog or cat, they’d contact us back within a few of days to say, ‘I had no clue how much we needed this animal,'” she said.
The family with whom I had handed off the foster dog called me immediately to tell they had gotten so many email inquiries about their foster that they had already decided to apply for another before their current foster dog had even been adopted!
Due to the fact that local schools would be closed for the rest of the year, Kelly Schlageter of Fairfax County, Virginia, a mother of twin adolescent daughters, agreed to open their house to a pair of boisterous pups.
We knew exactly what to do when our twins found out they’d be housebound for at least three months, adds Schlageter: “We volunteered to foster pups.” “Our girls have had numerous hours of pleasure and fulfillment from these gorgeous 3-month-old pups, Mike and Ike…
The fact that I have something to love and care for during these difficult times has been a true blessing.” Please keep in mind that Mike has found a permanent home with the Schlageters, and Ike has also been spoken for…
These are just a few of the uplifting experiences – there are also some humorous stories sprinkled throughout.
As a result of being unable to host our regularly scheduled local in-person adoption events, “a deluge of phone calls and emails started to pour into our foster teams,” adds Williams.
“People were eager to meet their future pets through Facetime, and our counselors soon began to believe they were working for Match.com!
A possible adoptive family inquired on FaceTime about whether a dog was housebroken, as the dog was elevating his leg on a dining-room chair in the background of the conversation! And, sure, the dog was adopted by the family.”
