Pets are helping us through the pandemic  

Spending so much time at home during the COVID-19 pandemic has been difficult. The longer we are confined mostly to our homes, the more difficult it becomes. People across the globe, including Salem students have turned to animal adoption to add a bit of comfort and devotion into their monotonous lives. According to The Washington Post, “some shelters and humane rescue groups are seeing double the typical number of requests from people to adopt dogs since the pandemic [began].”

Senior Grace Reed adopted three cats. 

“At home we were bored and kept wanting to have company of a pet”, said Reed.

The cats are still new to Reed, but she’s excited about the joy they will bring to her every day life.

“These cats are cute and fun, and I can’t wait to buy them outfits and see if they like walks,” said Reed. “If not for cats I’d be sitting in bed scrolling through Tik Tok for even more hours.”

Cats and dogs have been the post popular animals to adopt in the past year, but they are not the only animals students are looking to for comfort. Senior Erzel Tristen adopted a hermit crab. 

“I’d say it’s very nice to have a little company and watch it whenever I get bored,” said Tristen, “and hermit crabs are very amusing when active, to me at least.” 

Now more than ever, it’s important to discover and appreciate the small joys in life, no matter how miniscule they may seem. For instance, Tristen said that they adopted the hermit crab after visiting the beach and passing by the shop selling it.

“I felt a bit connected to the hermit crab, and kinda relate my personality to it,” said Tristen.

Adopting a pet is one of a multitude of ways to ease the stresses and mundanity of the pandemic lifestyle.

“Pets keep you company and also keep you busy during quarantine,“ said Reed. 

However, adopting a pet should never be an in the moment or impulse decision. Adopting a pet that you can’t afford or can’t properly care for can be more stressful than not having a pet at all.

“If you are financially stable and have the responsibility/time to do so, I’d say go for it [adopt a pet],” said Tristen. 

Ultimately, adopting a pet can bring great pleasure into one’s life, and it goes both ways, especially when times get difficult.