As much as we’re having to adapt our lives in so many ways during these strange and uncertain times, I think a lot of us take for granted that our pets will always be so reassuringly consistent.
This is mainly because, while our own lives are currently being turned upside down and inside out, our pets haven’t a clue what’s going on.
During this lockdown, most dogs are probably thrilled to have their owners at home to play with them and give them fuss almost 24/7, but the abruptly shortened walks and lack of pet play dates, on the other hand – maybe not so much.
In their shoes
I think a large part of getting through times like these is not to focus on what you don’t have, but to appreciate what you do. As my university moves to an online platform, I feel so lucky to have a supporting family to come home to, a warm house and good food. Thanks to the modern wonder that is social media, I can at least feel updated and informed when everything is so uncertain and confusing.
By comparison, my cat, for example, is at a slight disadvantage. While she also benefits from home comforts, when it comes to being in the know, she, like the rest of our pets, is in the dark.
To be honest, I quite envy her, and certainly the daily routines of a lot of domestic animals hasn’t changed at all. For more sociable pets like dogs, however, this sudden drawing back from the outside world will obviously be incredibly confusing, as well as frustrating, because they’ve no idea why everything has seemingly changed overnight.
Monkey see monkey do
Despite popular belief for so many years, animals can experience a large array of emotions – from elation and excitement to extreme anxiety – and this is partly because of their amazing ability to pick up what we, their owners, are unwittingly putting down.
If you’ve seen a change in your pets’ behaviour over the past few weeks, do a quick self-inventory of your own. If you spend your days anxious, irritable or melancholy, your pets can pick up on this and act in kind, even if you don’t notice it yourself. They can see it in your body language, tone of voice, even in your level of eye contact.
Of course, all emotions are heightened now – and justifiably so – but if you notice your pet mirroring your mood swings, it might be a good sign you need to be kinder to yourself, for the both of you.
Help is always there
Depending on where you are in the country, your local vets might be closed, running shorter hours or a very long journey away.
In cases of the latter, this might make you worry if your need to take an animal to an appointment is justified, or if you’re in a densely populated area or are/live with an “at-risk” individual, you simply may not be comfortable leaving home to make this journey at all.
No matter your current circumstance, I think it important to confirm that veterinary help, should you need it, is still readily available to you – just perhaps not in the form you’re used to.
Changes
A lot of vets are reducing their opening hours, not just to limit person-to-person interactions, but to make more time available for phone or email consultations.
As of right now, emergency cases are still very much a legitimate reason to travel, and if you are unsure if your pet’s medical need constitutes an emergency, all it takes is a quiet phone call to your local vet for advice.
Incredibly innovative changes have been made to the way practices operate in a staggeringly short space of time to help keep everyone safe so that the health of your pets doesn’t suffer, while brave and compassionate veterinary professionals are still going into work every day to ensure your pets are continued to be cared for.
Basically, what I’m saying is: if in doubt, just call – there will always be someone on the other end of the line, willing and wanting to help.
Give and take
It’s of no doubt that our pets have a greatly positive impact on our mental health. Without even knowing it, they are helping us through some potentially isolating and scary times.
With this in mind, I feel it only fair to return that kindness and take care of them in every way we can.
If we all look out for each other, those with two legs and four, we will all get through this and out the other side.
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