Heather Ainsley
news@greenepublishing.com
2020 was an undeniably tough year. When the pandemic took hold of the nation, countless lives were changed. Distant families were unable to reconnect with one another. Travel was largely shut down. Many people were confined to their homes and unable to reach out to be with friends and distant family members. Many people lost their jobs. Other's began to work from home. As a whole, the United States took their time and adjusted to the “new normal,” focusing instead on things closer to home. Many struggled with the emotional and mental ramifications of such a wide-spread and traumatic disaster. It was a time of great turmoil for many, and many people looked at their lives, their jobs and their priorities a little differently than they had before.
Being sent to work from home, being furloughed or laid off due to COVID restrictions meant that the average person was suddenly home during the time of the day when they would ordinarily be at work or commuting. All this extra time at home allowed people to spend more time than normal with their pets, and pet companions offered a great deal of comfort, attention and stability to a day to day life that suddenly had little to none.
Instead of sitting listlessly around the house, pet owners were inspired to fix old routines with their animals, as well as create new and healthy routines, deepening the bond between pet and owner. With nature trails and parks being the only available place to go when you left the house, more dog owners ventured to the great outdoors, developing healthy habits with their canines to release pent up energy, benefitting both pet and owner.
Working from home also gave cat owners the ability to work and play. As life filled less with traffic lights and board meetings, and filled instead with Zoom calls and email meetings in pajamas, a great number of felines were given the promotion of “coworker” (or in some cases, “manager”), and helped out by lounging with and amusing their human counterparts as they worked on projects and work duties from the comfort of their homes.
For those who took a hard hit and lost their jobs, having pets at home may have helped soften the blow, and provided displaced workers with a routine and, in some cases, a sense of purpose. Animals, in their unconditionally supportive ways, have reportedly helped many Americans cope with the loss, the challenges and uncertainty that filled our collective lives.
With COVID vaccines more readily available, and our bonds with our pets stronger than ever, many pet owners are faced with a potential new concern: going back to work.
With the pandemic having lasted so long, the concept of “normal” has once again shifted. In an effort to adjust yet again to the new “new normal,” many are wondering about ways they can keep the best of both worlds. Routines at home can often go neglected when one focuses their efforts on work situations. In the same token, work responsibilities can often suffer if someone is focused primarily on situations going on at home. It is important, moving forward, to find a balance of work and home that benefits everyone, so that good, quality work can be done at work without costing peace and comfort at home.
Pets who are used to constant companionship and the presence of their owner may exhibit signs of stress when thrown back into a routine where their owner is absent. For some pets, this can mean behavior disorders, sudden possessiveness, destructive habits around the house or anxiety that can alter their personality. Any responsible pet owner hopes to avoid this panic in their animal, but life is beginning to return to pre-COVID states, and returning to pre-COVID routines may not be preventable.
To continue the benefits of the extra time at home with your pet, consider the following: You have a world of stimulation when you leave the house. You have friends or coworkers and business lunches, tiring phone calls and conversations with others. Your pet has you. You are their world, so when you leave, they may feel lonesome or pent up, or anxious. It is important as a pet owner to understand this and use it to maintain a good and healthy relationship with your animal.
If you are returning back to work, and worry about your pet adjusting back to old routines well, provide just that, a routine. Assess what your current routine is, and adjust it slightly to your work schedule. If you spent quarantine days walking Fido at four every afternoon for 20 minutes, adjust the time of the walk for after you get off work. If you have scheduled morning play time with Felix, get that ball of yarn out before work, or make time for quality play when you come home.
Predictability will help prevent post-pandemic panic in your pets. If they know what to expect in the day to day life, they will have less anxiety and will continue to be the great companion you know and love.