Pandemic brought increased pet adoptions and need for in-home animal hospice care – Charleston Post Courier

Pet adoptions in the United States increased significantly at the start of the coronavirus pandemic last year as people found themselves spending more time at home.

Now, people are fostering animals as they decide they don't want the full-time pet ownership role while working at home with a mind toward eventually returning to work. But even those numbers are falling.

As folks prepare their hearts and homes for new companions, end-of-life care is not always at the top of their minds. That is why services like Lowcountry Pet Hospice and Home Euthanasia are important.

Dr. Lauren Orvin is veterinarian at the mobile practice in Charleston and provides pets and their caregivers with information, comfort and dignity during the dying process.

But also on the minds of pet lovers is adoptions. More than 35,400 dogs were adopted in the United States in March 2021, according to the national PetPoint adoption report. That is a 10.4 percent decrease from reported adoptions in March 2020, the same month when the first COVID-19 cases were reported in the Palmetto State.

Locally, staffers at the Berkeley Animal Center haveseen anincrease in both adoptions and pets coming into the shelter during the pandemic. But more than anything, an abundance of people are choosing to foster animals from the shelter, according to director Heather McDowell.

She said she believes more people opted to foster pets than adopt them during the pandemic so they would not have to deal with long-term commitment.

And while they were home, they figured theyd have something there with them to play with and, you know, do stuff with, McDowell said. But once they had to go back to work, they didnt want to continue to have to take care of it, so they would bring it back.

As people go back to work and life begins to return to pre-pandemic norms, McDowell said the fostering numbers at the shelter are beginning to decrease. But the need hasnt.

From May 1 to June 1 of this year, almost 500 cats and kittens were brought into the shelter. They thrive better in foster environments where they can be bottle fed and cared for until theyre old enough to be spayed or neutered.

McDowell said folks are always encouraged to foster or adopt animals from the shelter. As of the beginning of June, 378 dogs and 337 cats have been adopted this year from the shelter.

It is important that people are prepared to take careof the animals once they adopt them, McDowell said.

When people are coming to adopt, we always suggest that they bring the pets that they currently have to do a meet-and-greet with the animal that theyre wanting to adopt just to make sure that theyre going to get along, McDowell said.

And if the adoption does not work out, the Berkeley Animal Center will take the animals back. Families have returned pets to the shelter for various reasons, including food aggression and illnesses.

During instances of illness, Orvin said families are faced with many decisions.

Initially, those decisions may include whether or not to pursue treatment options like chemotherapy or surgical interventions, Orvin said. Later on, decisions regarding the pets physical and emotional wellbeing while undergoing treatment often surface.

Families may also have to make decisions regarding financial, physical and time limitations and abilities when dealing with a sick pet. Ultimately, caregivers could have to decide when and whether to euthanize, Orvin said.

Lowcountry Pet Hospice and Home Euthanasias services are geared towards cats and dogs and include an initial home consultation during which staff discusses the familys concerns and the pets diagnosis. A plan is then created for the animals care.

Orvin said her companys goal for hospice care includes detecting and managing physical and emotional pain and supporting a pets mobility, nutrition and hygiene. She said hospice care is appropriate for almost every pet with a terminal diagnosis.

Hospice care is a collaboration between the caregiver, aftercare providers, pharmacists and mental health professionals, Orvin said. Each of these team members help families navigate the decision-making process of end-of-life care.

Orvin said she has seen an increase in the number of families that need in-home hospice services during the pandemic.

We believe this is because more families were home to observe their pets and then desired to be home for hospice care and eventually to help them pass in the home as well, Orvin said.

In addition to in-home hospice care, Orvin offers palliative care, euthanasia and aftercare services. Information and pricing for each service can be found online atlowcountrypethospice.com. Phone consultations are available from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday at 843-640-9755.

Follow Shamira McCray on Twitter @ShamiraTweets.

See original here:

Pandemic brought increased pet adoptions and need for in-home animal hospice care - Charleston Post Courier