In this blog post, I’m going to let you in on a secret. The current outbreak of Covid-19 is heavily impacting on global mental health and leading to additional health problems such as stress, anxiety, insomnia, fear and worse. All hope is not lost though! It turns out, there is one sure fire way to chase away the pandemic blues.
I’m Chantelle and when there's not a global pandemic on, you can usually find me in Lake Eacham, volunteering and hanging out with rescue animals at FNQ Foster Farms, the home of new beginnings for horses, livestock and wildlife.
I’m going to tell you how to avoid histrionics while housebound with a surprising solution; pandemic pets! This trend has emerged during the climate of uncertainty due to Covid-19 and the pet adoption boom has proven to be a sanity saver as well as a life saver, for deserving animals who have found a safe place to land. I’ll delve into the many reasons you should consider choosing a rescue animal for a companion and what to do if you're not able to bring home a pandemic pet, but still want in on the fun.
Avoid Housebound Histrionics with a Surprising Solution
It was in an online equestrian community that I first noticed pandemic purchases, ranging from snazzy new gear to floats and trucks. These purchases took an interesting twist, with photos posted of pandemic ponies, donkeys, mules and more. The stars were doing it too. Disney alum Miley Cyrus introduced rescue pup Bo to her menagerie and Selena Gomez introduced Daisy and encouraged fans to think of canine companions in need during this hectic time. I also noticed a widespread shortage of backyard chickens and huge demand for fertilized eggs.
I had to know more. I couldn’t get on to Miley or Selena, so put the question to the horsey people. One couple was finally able to adopt a pooch, working from home allowing them the time. Another pandemic pony was brought home to introduce the family to the hobby. One lucky lady was gifted adorable ducklings, hilariously dubbed Ringo, Paul, John and George. Some special people rescued horses from neglect situations or those displaced due to drought and fire. Common themes were extra time at home, getting back to nature and maintaining humour in the current climate.
People Who Say Money Can’t Buy Happiness Never Paid an Adoption Fee
Sharing our lives with pets is good for our health normally and even more beneficial in stressful times. Aside from stress mitigation, those with pandemic pets are setting themselves up for better mental health. Pets influence health protective behaviours such as nutritional wellness and walking. Plus, if you adopt a rescue, you'll get extra feel goods from saving a life and giving a home to an animal forgotten, abandoned or given up through no fault of their own! Your adoption fee goes back into helping more animals, so with one kind
act you're really helping two lives. Once you take your new bestie home, the cycle starts over again. Rescue animals make great companions. You'll go through a matchmaking process to find the perfect fit for your lifestyle and living arrangements. Waiting at Foster Farms and primed to be pandemics pets, we have guinea pigs, a two-year-old Darma sheep, Zephyr, Peppy and Joe Joe.
How To Get Your Fix If You Can’t Bring A Pandemic Pet Into The Mix
If you really are not able to bring a pandemic pet home, there are still plenty of ways to become involved and get your feel-good fix. You could volunteer to help in an animal contact position at the farm. Help with feeds, grooming and mucking out. Get your equine endorphins tingling and join our Covid-19 safe, physically distanced roadside walking. You'll spend time with the horses who appreciate some exercise and grazing. We can also put noncontact talents to use, such as web design, group auction moderation or sponsorship coordination. Give a personal touch to a rescue's life by sponsoring and help them move through rehabilitation quickly. We will keep you updated on their progress and name you on their adoption profile. If isolation has you doing an early spring clean, you can donate unwanted goods for auction or collect your containers and donate your refund to our scheme ID.
So there it is, the not-so-secret way to save your sanity and stay Covid-19 carefree: pandemic pets! Be like Miley and Selina and think of animals in need, as well as your own wellbeing. You'll gain a companion to share your life with and set you both up with healthy habits. If you really can't bring a pandemic pet home, there are still plenty of ways to get join the fun. Take your mind off the current climate and contribute in person at the farm, or from home and online. Just ask us how, that’s one secret we won’t keep!
Do you agree that rescue animals make some of the best companions? Will you be following in the footprints of Selena and Miley and adopting a sanity-saving pandemic pet? If not, what are the other ways you plan to remain Zen during the current climate? We would love to hear your thoughts, drop us a line in the comments. You can also connect with us on our social media channels to stay up to date with our rescue, rehabilitation, retraining and re-homing efforts.
Connect with us on our socials!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fnqfosterfarms/
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Instagram: @fnq_foster_farms16
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/ffLinkedIn
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Twitter: @FarmsFNQ