Pet care during and after the COVID-19 lockdown
Worried about your companion animal during COVID-19? We take a look at some great ideas to ensure your pet’s mental wellbeing, and health is kept in tip-top shape. PLUS: how to keep up to date with how coronavirus affects our pets.
The current worldwide pandemic, COVID-19, is causing a huge amount of upset, stress, and concern in many households. This is also having an impact on our humble companion animals. As many pet owners are aware, our pets can sense our heightened anxiety or stress levels. While many pets are enjoying the extra time, love and attention international lockdowns have created, some could also be exhibiting signs of stress or issues with over-exercising.
Is your dog refusing to walk?
The common complaint trending on social media is dog walking. Even though the sight of many dogs simply refusing to walk on sidewalks across is a great source of amusement. Watching owners desperately pleading, begging, and sometimes carrying their beloved pets’ home, is signalling a definite undertone. Dogs are getting bored. So bored, that some are simply snubbing the once highly anticipated daily walk.
This phenomenon is far-reaching, but the good news is there are some simple techniques that can keep your dog interested in their daily walk, while also appealing to the sanity of pet owners as we struggle to find any excuse to get outside.
- Walk for your dog, not for you. In other words, allow them to stop and smell the roses.
- Change it up – even take the walk-in reverse or walk on the opposite side of the road.
- Go adventuring. Make a map and take different roads/streets than normal.
- Two walks max per day. One for exercise (pick up the pace) and one for smelling and exploring.
Getting back to normal – work life
If you are in a situation where you are about to exit lockdown, and perhaps head back to work, there are some important steps to consider. Firstly, if your pet has been enjoying all the ample attention, walks and treats, you’ll need to get them used to being alone. Particularly with dogs, this can mean introducing some environmental enrichment and boredom busters.
Remembering; for a dog, ripping apart a cushion or the rubbish bin, is a huge amount of enjoyable and rewarding entertainment. The same is for a cat with regard to clawing at the carpet or scratching your new furniture. To avoid any of these destructive behaviours creeping into your pet’s new daily regime consider;
- Sticking with a routine, walk before work, walk after work.
- Enriching your pet’s environment. Consider boredom busting toys/puzzles for dogs and a nice new cat scratcher for your feline friend.
- Rotate your pet’s toys daily
- Have ‘home alone’ toys – don’t forget to remove them when you arrive home
- Get creative!
- Leave a radio or TV on for your pet
- If you notice any symptoms of separation anxiety, or if your companion animal is starting to exhibit any unusual behavioural issues seek help and advice quickly.
Can pets catch COVID-19?
This is certainly a big topic in the pet world. Sadly, misinformation and heightened anxiety has caused some companion animals to be presented to shelter organisations and even euthanized. There is still very limited research into COVID-19 and how it affects our pets. It is vital that concerned pet owners keep up-to-date with the latest findings from reputable resources such as The World Organization for Animal Health and WSAVA Global Veterinary Community and One Health Committees. These organizations have been busy investigating, monitoring, and suggesting good advice when it comes to our companion animals around this outbreak.
It is advised, if you are sick, to try and keep your distance from your pet and utilize sensible hygiene practices.