‘Pandemic Puppies’ Fill Doggy Daycare in New Brunswick | Globalnews.ca

Doggy daycares say so-called “pandemic pups” are booming in business.

a Survey by Abacus Data In June of 2021 it has been suggested that three percent of Canadians should have . got a pet during the first year of COVID-19 Lockdown and restrictions across the country.

Many people became dog owners to overcome the loneliness of lockdown or to fulfill a longtime dream with more flexible working conditions.

However, since that survey was published, restrictions have been lifted in many places and people have had to go back to work.

Whether their owners are taking advantage of lax travel restrictions or facing a return to the office, those dogs need to go somewhere.

Because of this St. John, NB. There’s been some commercial boom in places like Shantel’s Wagging Tails

“We are pretty much what we can handle,” says owner Shantel Beck.

Their business provides doggy daycare, boarding, training and grooming.

They remained open during the pandemic, but with many of their regular customers among those spending more time at home, they saw some lull.

“As restrictions were lifted, we started operating as normal, and as our customers returned, we were joined by new customers,” says Beck.

She says she now owns almost twice as many dogs a day as compared to 2019 and has a waiting list.

The phenomenon of “epidemic puppies” certainly added to that spike, she says.

The downside of this, she says, is that dogs born and raised in isolation tend to suffer separation anxiety when their owner needs to be away from them.

Many are also not well socialized with other dogs.

“We are seeing a kind of downside to getting a puppy during COVID,” says Beck.

Luckily for its clients, Shantel’s Wagging Tails offers training and can help socialize many dogs.

Victoria Shroff, a Vancouver-based attorney specializing in animal law, says there have been incidents across Canada of dogs that have not been well socialized.

And what’s worse, she says, shelters are filling up with pets whose owners realized they arrived at pandemic pet ownership.

“The consequence of having an epidemic pet is that people were using a pet as a temporary comfort measure,” says Shroff.

Shroff says she was worried in 2020 when pet adoptions were on the rise that it would have side-effects and some regretful owners. Pets are a big responsibility.

“One of my major concerns through all of this is that animals are treated like things or objects,” she says.

She adds that, if someone really finds themselves to be an unqualified pet owner, they should not feel ashamed to take the animal to a shelter where they will be cared for. Just don’t leave them anywhere.

Beck hasn’t seen the darker side of the matter, but says there are tears in the lobby of Shantel’s Wagging Tails on day one, when an owner brings her dog into the office.

“Especially if it’s a young puppy who is being spayed for the first time, we get a phone call with someone saying, ‘How are they doing? Can I get a picture? Is everything okay?'” she says.