The Impact of Global Disasters on Our Pets: Lessons from COVID-19

ABSTRACT

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic provided a unique insight into the impacts of global disasters on pet ownership and companion animal services. This talk will review research on the impacts of various stages of the pandemic on the human-animal relationship, surprising increases in the adoption of pets from animal shelters around the world, and the potential reasons for those increases. I will also present new research on the impact of the pandemic on pet support services within the city of Vancouver, Canada, that will highlight the complex relationships between vulnerable human populations, the city’s response to the pandemic, and pet care. Finally, the COVID-19 pandemic, and its associated economic impact, have completely re-shaped the field of animal sheltering and companion animal support services. In addition to being recognized as an essential service, animal shelter and veterinary staff were confronted with the need to identify only necessary operations to ensure care of animals and their communities without the risk of contracting and transmitting the virus. As a result, emergent animal sheltering trends now emphasize community-based approaches, abolishing harmful discriminative practices, and aiming to keep pets and their original owners together – all from the framework of One Health/ One Welfare. As global disasters are projected to increase in frequency due to climate change, a better understanding of impacts on the human-animal bond and support services will ensure that we can be better prepared for the future.