Misinformation About COVID-19 Makes People Surrender Their Dogs

When pandemic surrounds us, we tend to see a rise in panic-stricken actions. People stockpiling for months in advance, shelves of essentials left empty for those who cannot afford to buy in advance, and fights breaking out over who gets to snatch the last pack of toilet paper.

Although people less fortunate to buy bulk in advance have often been left in a state of despair, it is not unique to humans. Many dogs have found themselves victims of panic state mindsets and irrational spur-of-the-moment decisions. Over the past couple of months, the novel coronavirus has been a major cause of disruption over the entire globe.

The daily lives of people have been significantly impacted, and stress levels have risen tremendously. The obsession with keeping everything germ-free and as clean as possible has become a daily norm. However, many people have taken this out on their pups.

Animal rescuers and shelters have reported a significant rise in abandoned dogs. Dogs have been dropped off intentionally in a bid to curb any chance of germ spreading. Although there has only been one suspected case where the coronavirus was present in a four-legged friend, the dog-parent had the virus too, making unclear as to who contracted it from whom.

Aside from the single case, hundreds of thousands of people who have dogs have had the virus and their dogs were in perfect health. Correlation does not mean causation, and one simply cannot assume one’s health is in danger because of your canine companion. It is important to think rationally about the situation, despite it being times of uncertainty.

After all, we as dog-parents have a responsibility to treat our furry friends with love and respect!

Feature Image Source: Pixabay