Infected By Compassion: How the Pandemic Made Us Better Animal Advocates
Photo © Kathy Kinnear
Current events have stolen so much of our peace of mind that it’s hard to appreciate the steep learning curve we've all been on since the pandemic arrived. Yet eight months in, it's fitting to acknowledge that this dreaded virus has brought out some of the very best creative problem-solving in animal welfare circles. We're still challenged by what's ahead, but the collective response to the needs of companion animals and their families during this time of crisis is the stuff of superhero legends. It truly is a time to give thanks.
When the virus first hit, no one in the animal community knew what to expect and many predicted the worst, including rampant owner surrenders, stalled adoptions, and an increase in shelter euthanasias. Animal shelters shuttered their doors as directed. But before they did, like a well-practiced disaster evacuation drill, they appealed to the public for foster care help. People everywhere stepped up in droves, nearly emptying shelter kennels. Since then, most shelters have remained calm and quiet, the demand for shelter dogs has skyrocketed, and most of the adoptable dogs now attract numerous applications. Even the biggest, rowdiest, blocky-headed dogs in our BADRAP program are finding good homes in short order. Who could've predicted that?
The loss of half a million Bay Area jobs presented the next challenge. It seemed certain we'd see a new wave of surrendered pets as families struggled with financial hardship and food insecurity. Things felt especially bleak after the established pet food pantries closed their doors. They’d done their best to meet the growing need, but as with the hoarded toilet paper insanity, many shelters and pet owners hit a stretch when stores started running out of kibble. Fortunately, the rescue-minded owners of Pet Food Express heard the community’s plea for help, phoned their suppliers, and magicked up a donated pallet of kibble, then another and another. This generosity allowed pet pantries around the Bay Area to stock up and reopen. With the supply replenished, people who could afford to do so started donating kibble to rescues and pet pantries again. A sigh of relief was heard around the Bay as thousands of pet owners found support to feed their pets and keep them with their families.
Early on during the shutdowns, many veterinary clinics cut back on their services and several providers made the decision to stop doing spay and neuter surgeries. This was a nightmare scenario for those of us who promote pet health and responsible pet ownership. Thankfully, several smaller vet clinics took a different path and stayed on course with the work, helping scores of families curb the negative consequences that come from having intact animals. As the weeks ticked away, more vet offices began to create safe-distance routines for seeing patients, slowly returning to a new normal. For those unable to afford pet care, nonprofits like Paw Fund invented new ways to run their large, safe-distance free clinics, ensuring the health of some of the East Bay's most vulnerable dogs and cats.
During this time, BADRAP’s Keep'Em Home dog owner support program also saw a spike in frantic messages from pet owners in crisis. Some were living in their cars and desperately needed safe shelter for themselves and their pets. Others needed food or emergency vet care that they couldn't find or afford.
Each case was different from the last, and Badrap’s staff and volunteers were thrown into full-time problem-solving. Which vet can remove a tumor that's grown too big? Who can offer affordable heartworm treatment? How do we get dozens of dog crates to homeless pet owners to help them get off the streets and into safe housing? Who can help deliver groceries and pet food to medically vulnerable seniors?
Every day brought new challenges, but the response from rescue colleagues, compassionate veterinarians, and especially a community of animal lovers was consistently solid. Donations, referrals, offers to assist, and especially empathy for dog owners poured in to help heal some of the trauma. People volunteered to deliver groceries and kibble, foster dogs for homeless pet owners, transport dogs to vet appointments, and contribute to fundraisers to help pay the rent of people they've never met.
At Badrap, we’d never seen anything like it. Before the pandemic, some might shame pet owners for not having enough resources to keep their pets well fed, comfortable, and cared for. Now, due in part to COVID-19, we were seeing the best side of animal lovers throughout our community. In many ways, the Bay Area was becoming a more compassionate, more understanding, and more humane place to call home.
Perhaps the most valuable resource activated during this impossible time has been the concern and empathy of normal, everyday people who have continued to extend help to others in need throughout the Bay Area. Thanks to this ongoing support, countless pet families have been able to stay together, providing crucial comfort and companionship during a crisis that few of us could have imagined at this time last year.
This is the part of the pandemic we'd love to see continue long after we're finally able to hug our friends again. Let's hope we stay 'infected' with the desire to be good humans and, crisis or not, keep helping pets stay safe and at home with the families who love them.