Pandemic Pups: Where are they now?

By Avry Giordano

I, like the majority of pet owners now, have a pandemic animal. In particular, I fall under the “Pandemic Pup” category of pandemic animals.

It began on a fateful afternoon in August 2020. My stepmom and I had been convincing my dad for years to get another dog, insisting our current dog, Floyd, needed a sibling. Listen, prior to the pandemic, my stepmom and dad would go to work in the city every day from 6 am to 8 pm, which left no space to take care of another dog. When the pandemic hit, like many other people, they were forced to work remotely until this year. After a couple of months of the pandemic, and heavy persuasion from my stepmom, my dad caved and decided to get a dog.

Going back to that fateful August afternoon, I was coming back to my dad’s house after spending the weekend with my dad’s side of the family. As soon as I opened the front door, a small whoosh of white fluff came running at me, to which I dumbfoundedly asked, “Did you get a puppy?” Their response was, “Yup! This is Hudson.”

I was in awe that whole weekend, trying to wake myself up from a dream. This small English Creme Golden Retriever was a part of the family. He was the perfect addition: He was energetic, social, playful and just the sweetest little puppy.

Where is he now three years later? He’s still the same sweet little dog, but 100 pounds heavier. My dad and stepmom started to go back into the city, leaving Hudson on his own really for the first time. I know many studies say that pandemic pets suffer from separation anxiety when their owners leave because of the amount of time owners used to spend with pets, but Hudson does relatively well. Compared to my other small Cavapoo, he does crave more attention and becomes more excited when I get home. It might be because he is a “Pandemic Pup” or the fact his breed is known to be very social.

I know I receive a lot of “you fell for the pandemic pet trend,” but I don’t think I would have changed a thing. The pandemic allowed for this big fluff ball of light to get me through the heavy isolation that was the 2020 quarantine.

To others who have pandemic pets, I’m sure you agree that getting that pandemic pet was not only a blessing then, but continues to be today.