To cope with the hardships of the Pandemic, many families across America opted to adopt puppies.
By Zoe Cymrot
March 2020 Capitol Hill was in complete lockdown. Streets were utterly deserted except for a few families and their dogs out on their daily walks, the only reason we were supposed to be outside of our yards. Amid the months of social distancing, lockdowns, and masks, another phenomenon appeared on our neighborhood sidewalks, a generation of new puppies joining those walks.
Throughout pandemic there was a steady increase in the number of pet adoptions happening across the country. For those fortunate enough to have the option to work from home, and the time to care for new pets, pandemic quarantines provided an opportunity to bring new dogs into their families.
Since stories are beginning to emerge about negative repercussions of pandemic puppies, I decided to check in on Capitol Hill pandemic puppies to see how they are faring. I spoke with seven families living on Capitol Hill to hear their narrative of pandemic dogs.
Several themes emerged in these conversations, the first of which was how the pandemic allowed these families to welcome a dog into their homes for the first time while being stuck at home under lockdown. “We wouldn’t have gotten a dog if it weren’t for the pandemic… I never wanted to have a dog if it had to be crated all the time,” April Boyd put simply.
Claudia Burke and Tom West and their son Theo sit out front of their house with their pandemic puppy Ollie.
Being in lockdown also created a sense of isolation that was a huge factor in many families’ decision to get a new dog. “After six months of the pandemic, my son was so lonely, and I realized he doesn’t have anyone to play with at home … and a dog could really help him,” explained Claudia Burke about her son, Theo, who was only in first grade when the pandemic began.
Families were consistently surprised at how much joy these dogs brought to their homes during the times of stress and the numbing repetition of lockdown days.“It was a really good project for us to do, especially in the beginning working on training him, picking out toys, walking him. We spent a lot of time walking him and teaching him new tricks. He brings extra love, someone to snuggle, a reason to get out of the house and go on walks,” said Vivian Pittard (17). Her family adopted Stanley at the very beginning of the pandemic, and although they were already planning on adopting a new pup before the pandemic, his presence in their family has made a huge difference in their experience during this time.
The Pittard kids, Vivian (17), Alice (15), and Liam (10), sit on their front step with their new pandemic dog Stanley.
When asked how his golden retriever puppy Jack has changed the experience of the pandemic, Gabriel Leonesio (15) said, “I think he’s made the house a lot more fun, … when they’re are some stressful situations he’s able to kind of keep everyone around him relaxed.” For all of these families having a new puppy in the house has helped to lighten stress and bring joy during the pandemic.
A final theme that emerged was how much these dogs pushed their families to begin healthier routines and connect with other people in their community. In my conversation with Gabriel and his mother, Sharmila Choudhury, they repeatedly mention how adding Jack to their family and having to take him on long walks has forced them to consistently get fresh air and exercise. “I would say the pandemic started almost a year before we got him and that time I was pretty much staying home… and you told yourself you should exercise and walk and go outside, and it’s kind of hit or miss. But with him, it’s like clockwork. I have to get up, and take him so it’s completely changed my interaction, I am no longer sedentary.” For Sharmila this was not the only positive result of Jack forcing her to go outside more often. “Because I have never had a dog, and we live in the community of Capitol Hill where there are so many dogs, and everyone is out walking, I have met so many people… It’s absolutely fabulous.” Not only did having a new puppy during the pandemic force Sharmila to get fresh air, he also facilitated connection with a community that she had not had the opportunity to be a part of before having a dog.
Sharmila Choudhury and her son Gabriel Lionesio(15) sit on their front stoop with their new pandemic puppy, Jack.
It was not just the Choudhury Leonesio family that felt the effects of their new puppy on getting them outside. For the Pittards, Vivian’s younger brother Liam(10) and their mom, Melanie, loved to take Stanley to the dog park near their house during lockdown. “It was fun to take him to the dog park and have to jump out of the way in the nick of time to not be run over by a pack of dogs.” said Liam. Sarah Guire echoed this same sentiment in speaking about her family’s pandemic puppy, “Having a dog helps you get out multiple times a day, talking with new people. So it helps things feel less isolated.” The Guire Family adopted Juno, a feisty little puppy, from Rural Dog Rescue last October.
Liam Pittard (10) leans against Stanley, his family’s new beginning of pandemic dog.
From the beginning of the pandemic, Kim Hawkins, founder of Rural Dog Rescue and owner of Howl to the Chief, a local pet supply store on Barracks Row, was struck by the rise in new adoptions. “We saw a significant increase in both foster and adoption applications. At the same time, our shelter partners were not open to owner-surrenders so there was a significant shortage of dogs at the shelters. … Many people were working from home and had the extra time they could commit to adding a pet to their family,” said Hawkins. She also mentioned that Howl to the Chief has received a large number of new customers.
Dr Beth Durney, a former Associate Veterinarian at Atlas Vet, was also aware of the increased local dog population, seeing a large number of new dogs coming in for appointments. “It was common for us to see three or more new puppy or new pet appointments per day, whereas in the past (before the pandemic) it was usually only a few per week”.
Hawkins and Dr Durney have a similar view of the results of this pandemic puppy surge. “I am cautiously optimistic that these will all be happy endings for everyone. That being said, I am concerned about several aspects of all these adoptions” wrote Dr Durney. Rural Dog Rescue has started to get inquiries from people who adopted or bought dogs during the pandemic and now can’t handle their schedules and take care of these pups. Hawkins is optimistic of what will come of this, writing “I would not say it was significant though and we have only had one dog returned.”
A street shot of one of Rural Dog Rescue’s Saturday adoption fair.
Dr Durney is concerned about several aspects of all these new adoptions. The most obvious of which she is hoping will not transpire to any meaningful magnitude is that once people return to work, pet care will become a lot more complicated and expensive. “I hope this is something people will be able to return to slowly, and thus have time to adjust, but I do worry about folks giving up their pets once they are back in the office or traveling.” She is hoping that with a slower ease back into normal life, owners will be able to allow the dogs to adjust in a more successful manner. As well as the worry of no longer having the ability to care for these dogs there is a concern that all these pets have gotten used to having an owner home most or all of the time, and will struggle to adjust with separation anxiety and discomfort staying home all day. Hawkins is truly hopeful that these pandemic animals will be successful, “We have sent our adopters several articles about how to prepare your newly adopted dog to handle your schedule once you return to work. Many of our adopters use doggy daycare, though, or have dog walkers and seem to be transitioning well.” She mentioned that with these articles on adjusting their dogs to a new environment and consistent training the separation issues can be minimized.
A volunteer for Rural Dog Rescue crouches down with Banjo, one of their dogs open for adoption at one of their adoption fairs this February.
Families are now having to consider the transition out of the pandemic and how this may be difficult for their puppies who have never experienced long periods of time on their own. “When we all went back to work and school, and he was by himself for the first time, he was not happy, but he has adjusted pretty well now… At first we definitely had to crate train him, and he would cry and cry… But now he doesn’t have to stay in the crate and will happily sleep at home for most of the day,” said Vivian Pittard. For everyone, the adjustment from the entire family being home to the pups spending the majority of the day on their own or in a different arrangement is difficult but already becoming easier and completely worthwhile for the gift that a new puppy has been to these families.
Jack (11) and Rosie (5) sit on the front stoop of their house with their 10 month old puppy Charlie.
Some pandemic adoptions and experiences were slightly different from others. One Capitol Hill family, the Maslins, took an unusual route to adoption. In July 2021 Abby and TC Maslin and their two kids Jack(11) and Rosie(5) took a summer trip to Turks and Caicos. The Maslins had been wanting to adopt a new puppy ever since the passing of their dog, Spencer, during the beginning of the pandemic. In Turks and Caicos, they discovered the Potcake Place K9 adoption agency who rescue street dogs and find homes for them. “We were kind of torn about what our next dog should be because we wanted to get a rescue dog, but we had heard that it was actually not that easy to do in DC, because so many people were adopting during the pandemic,”said Abby. Although the adoption of their pandemic puppy, Charlie, was far sooner than they expected, getting a new puppy from this agency felt like a perfect fit especially with how difficult it had become to adopt a puppy with a known background that they were hoping for during the pandemic in DC.
Nicky Cymrot sits in her kitchen looking lovingly upon her dog Ronan curled around her.
My grandmother, Nicky Cymrot, and I have slightly different stories of pandemic pups compared to the families I interviewed, but no less impactful. Before the pandemic, my family and my grandma co-owned a dog, Ronan, who stayed with us during the week and her during the weekend (she has a house out in the country). When the pandemic began, we made the decision to lock down separately, and my grandma took Ronan full-time. When I spoke to my grandmother about her experience with Ronan, it was clear how big of a difference he made on how she lived in the pandemic and lockdowns. “When I have been by myself for long periods of time he would be with me all the time. I would never have anticipated how that would make a difference. … The biggest part of living alone for a large portion of the lockdown with a dog for me was having someone to talk to and have as a companion.” Ronan was more than just a physical companion. He is a surprisingly vocal and communicative dog to be around. “It really surprised me, because I have never had a dog in my whole life, and I didn’t know when you have a dog you end up treating them like a real person, well at least I do! … I just think that the quietness would have been quieter. This way I talk to him and listen to myself talk and he will respond, yipping and jumping around.”
Nicky Cymrot having a conversation with Ronan as he stares at her in anticipation for treats.
Two weeks into lockdown I began to raise a labrador retriever, Montana, for Guiding Eyes for the Blind. I had previously done an internship with this organization and got to see how Guide Dogs are trained and raised before the professional training later on prepares them for service. Local people raise these puppies and meet with a trainer every other week to practice new skills and work with other Guide Dogs-in-training. When the pandemic began, I decided to start raising Montana. Having a puppy during the pandemic encouraged me to be productive when I spent the majority of my time sitting at my desk in online classes. Especially because Montana needed to be learning new skills and training to become a Guide Dog, I pushed myself to go on long walks, do training sessions with him, and visit as many outdoor spots and new experiences for him as I could. Montana has been with me for the entirety of the pandemic and is now two-years-old and going up to the training center in NY in just a few weeks. If he passes his training, Montana will be placed with a visually impaired person and will hopefully change their life as he did mine during this pandemic.
All of these dogs have individual narratives that tell stories of isolation, moments of joy, fears and a sense of hope. There still remains much uncertainty about how we will move forward from the pandemic and how our pandemic pups will adjust, but there is no doubt that every one of these Capitol Hill pandemic dogs will continue to enrich the lives of these families.
Winston, one of the dogs open for adoption at one of Rural Dog Rescues adoption fair, howls in excitement.