Have you adopted a pandemic pet? Tell us about your four-legged friend.

During times of stress, many people seek the comfort of their pets, so it’s no surprise that over the past year and a half, animal shelters across the country have seen an increase in the number of pets. ‘adoptions.

The most common pets adopted during the pandemic were cats and dogs, but many people also switched to smaller pets like guinea pigs, hamsters, rabbits, reptiles and birds. About 23 million American households – about 1 in 5 – adopted or purchased a pet between March 2020 and May 2021, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

According to their survey, 90% of households that had a dog during the pandemic still have the pet, and 85% of households that had a cat still have one.

Despite concerns that these pets will be relocated or returned as life returns to normal and people begin to spend less time at home, pandemic animals are still loved and cared for by their owners, according to the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Angela.

“I don’t think there is a trend of that, nationally, locally or within our organization,” Mike Keiley, director of MSPCA-Angell Adoption Centers, told Boston.com.

If you adopted a pet during the pandemic, we want to know what your experience has been. Perhaps the animal you brought home during the height of the pandemic has taken on new meaning while still remembering that time. Did adding a new addition to your home provide you with much needed comfort during the lockdown months or did you end up taking more than you expected?

Let us know how the adoption of a pandemic animal has affected you and share a photo of your four-legged, winged or scaly companion by completing the survey below or emailing us at [email protected] and we can present your answer in a future article.