More pets being adopted during pandemic

Pet adoptions are on the rise due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many are finding that furry friends make great companions to get through this tough time. We talked about adoption rates and the mental health benefits of welcoming a new pet with Dr. Steven Hansen, President of the Arizona Humane Society and Tracy Howell, a therapy cat owner.

Increase in adoptions

Throughout the pandemic, the Arizona Humane Society has been busy. According to Dr. Hansen, the Arizona Humane Society has had the lowest amount of available pets at any given time since Dr. Hansen started there. With more people at home, getting a pet seems more of a viable option. “People really seem to want to be focusing inside, focusing on their families, wanting to do good and rescue a pet,” Dr. Hansen said. With the added time at home, Hansen says people feel like they can now focus on training a pet and making sure they’re comfortable. With pets going so fast, Dr. Hansen suggests scheduling an appointment as soon as possible on the Arizona Humane Society website.

Benefits of pets

Howell’s cat, Roger, volunteers at Hospice of the Valley and Phoenix Children’s Hospital. Howell says patients feel so relaxed around Roger and relate it to a dose of anxiety medication. Howell says patients really light up at the sight of an animal.