By Jensen McKey
Epic Charter Schools
When the pandemic hit in 2020, many people started working from home, and they adopted pets to pass the time. Animal adoption shelters like Second Chance Animal Sanctuary in Norman saw adoption rates soar.
However, as people began returning to work, they found they no longer had the time or energy to take care of their pets. Now, shelters around the country, such as in Cincinnati and Los Angeles, are experiencing increased pet surrenders and adoption slow-downs since 2020.
Over the past seven months of working at Second Chance, office manager Ireonna Glenn also has observed the increasing returns of COVID-19 adoptions.
“There’s been quite a few (instances) where people … who are working from home, or had school online and they’re at home quite a bit so they had time to dedicate to an animal,” Glenn said.
“They are realizing that they don’t really have the time with an animal, especially if they adopted a puppy or something that has more energy like a kitten… they don’t really have the time to dedicate to training, and sitting with it.”
Shelters are receiving lots of returns this year, especially dogs. Glenn said because cats tend to be more independent, their owners able to keep them, even as they go back to work.
Glenn expands on this problem by explaining the different reasons people return pets.
“… (it’s) just not the right fit for their lifestyle, especially with animals in rescue. They get really excited to be able to spend time with people and really want to play and run and be as active as they can, sometimes that’s just not what people are looking for,” Glenn said.
People also return pets because they grow out of the puppy/kitten stage, or they don’t realize how much work a pet is. Dogs especially require a lot of attention, they need exercise and training, and some people don’t have the time/energy.
Second Chance Board President Amy Boaldin explained how to help animals adjust to their new homes.
“Introduce them very slowly to their new siblings,” Boaldin said. “Dogs decompress and adjust and continue to change and improve… well into a year.”
“That’s (not) something that happens automatically when you bring them home just because they’re no longer in the shelter.”
Second Chance Animal Sanctuary is a 501(c)3 nonprofit no-kill shelter, and often takes in animals from bad homes or other shelters. Glenn also explained the various backgrounds of the animals at their shelter.
“You really have to give the animal time to adjust,” Glenn said. “Because a lot of our animals come to us from very stressful situations. We get some from euthanasia lists, some that their owners have passed and they’re having to start completely over in a new home, or some animals just haven’t ever really had the time to be with a loving family.”
How to Help
Adopt a pet from any shelter near you. Most shelters include spaying and neutering, microchips and age-appropriate vaccinations with adoption fees. The City of Norman Animal Welfare has waived all adoption fees in order to get more animals adopted. It is at 3428 Jenkins Ave.
Second Chance Animal Sanctuary is 4500 24th Ave. N.W., Norman. If you are unable to adopt, you can still help by donating money, cleaning supplies, pet food, treats, cat litter, leashes or volunteering to help train/exercise the animals, clean the facility, and other things. You can get in touch to be a volunteer on second chance’s website: https://www.secondchancenorman.com/, or for more information contact the shelter at (405) 321-1915.
