After months of serious consideration and years of longing, I finally adopted an adorable Irish terrier in early March. At this point, I was looking forward to spring break to spend some extra time training my new dog. 

Being stuck in quarantine wasn’t on my radar. Fast forward two weeks, I find myself with a stay-at-home order and ample bonding time with my new best friend. With the unease we are all facing, my new dog named Guinness has become a bright spot in my life.

With quarantine keeping much of the nation at home, many have turned to fostering and adopting from animal shelters. This has resulted in a nationwide increase in the housing of shelter animals. While this absolutely warms my heart, I do hold concern for the long-term.

What would happen if owners decide they are not able to take care of these animals? I fear that our furry friends will find themselves back at the shelter. Taking care of an animal is a perfect way to soothe some of the stress we are feeling due to quarantine. However, adopting should be a responsible commitment, not a temporary comfort.

I share my adoption experience to highlight that I had as much time as I needed to prepare for the responsibility. It is easy to get caught up in the moment, though. This might lead to an adoption that does not work in the long term. 

Luckily, an alternative is fostering. In this case, the animal finds a temporary home until they are adopted or returned to their owner. This is an excellent choice, especially during these turbulent times. It gives the owner time to decide if adoption will work, while also providing a faithful companion.

At this point, I would like to make it clear: I am thrilled that Americans have taken to housing shelter animals. Guinness has certainly made my shelter-in-place more bearable. In fact, I suggest a loving puppy as a remedy for quarantine blues. 

I simply hope that owners remain responsible after the quarantine is over. When we start to resume activities such as work and school, the time that we currently have for these animals will decrease. This is only an issue for those that do not plan ahead. 

A survey concerning reasons for giving up dogs and cats include mostly simple reasons that could be solved with a little forward-thinking. These include moving, cost of maintenance and landlords not allowing pets.

 Granted, not all pet adoptions are going to be a great match. It is not fair to the animal to be sent back to shelter on account of an owner’s oversight. Taking in a pet is a commitment and an investment that should be treated as such. 

Since I mentioned puppies as a remedy, fostering seems like an excellent place to start. What better way to spend time at home than in the company of a friend? Plus, fostering has the added benefit of helping animal shelters.

Staffing at many animal shelters has been cut back, and they might not be receiving the funding they need. If you are really feeling the love, consider donating to a local shelter or humane society; they will certainly appreciate the help.

Should you consider fostering an animal in the coming months? I say go for it. If you consider adoption, please keep in mind that your furry friend is expecting a forever home. 

Right now, we should enjoy the fact that shelters are finding themselves empty. Hopefully, they will stay that way. In the meantime, I will keep taking Guinness on long walks around the neighborhood while we weather this quarantine together.

Kenny is a senior in Social Work. 

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