Erin Alamed, Director of Volunteer and Community Outreach at the Humane Society of Chittenden County, holds a recently adopted dog, Twix. (Devany Di Paolo/Community News Service)

Demand for pets has risen amidst the pandemic, and the Humane Society of Chittenden County is working to meet these needs in a COVID-concious way while also offering other opportunities for community involvement.

“We always have to think quickly on our feet in general because animals are very unpredictable,” said Erin Alamed, Director of Volunteer and Community Outreach at the Humane Society of Chittenden County, “so we’re really good about implementing new protocols quickly.”

These new protocols include health screenings for everyone who enters the building, asking staff to work from home if possible, and reducing the number of volunteers from around 200 to around 20 on a spaced-out schedule.

The most noticeable change, though, is the adoption appointments. Instead of being open to the public, those looking to bring home a new dog, cat or other small furry friend must first make an appointment online to meet with an adoption counsellor to make sure the pet fits into the household. These appointments fill up fast.

The main room of the HSCC has crates or larger rooms for cats depending on their needs, fenced- in areas for small animals like rabbits, and the front desk. (Devany Di Paolo/Community News Service)

Madeleine Murray is a Burlington resident who recently adopted a kitten, Willow, from the HSCC. Though she is grateful for her new cat, she admits the process was stressful because of the high demand for these appointments.

“We can’t seem to hang on to animals,’ said Alamed with a laugh. “They’re getting adopted very quickly… This is the least amount of cats we’ve had in our shelter since I’ve been here, which has been six years.”

The majority of animals coming into the humane society are relinquished by their owners for a variety of reasons. The HSCC also receives shipments from the south that pull animals from high-volume shelters once or twice a month.

Despite having to close their doors to visitors in March 2020 and pause animal transports until mid-summer, the adoption numbers for 2020 nearly matched that of 2019, surprising the staff.

Lo Mein (top) and Popcorn (bottom) are two cats currently at the HSCC, both already adopted. (Devany Di Paolo/Community News Service)

It is not just in Vermont: nationwide, pet adoptions have increased over the course of the pandemic. With more Americans social distancing and working from home, many are taking the opportunity to adopt a pet for company.

“People are working from home, people are lonely… I feel like there’s that aspect of having that something to come home to, something to be at home with to comfort you,” said Alamed. “Animals bring such joy to our lives, they make us healthier, make us happier, so I think people are realizing how much that is impacting their life.”

These “lockdown pets” can provide a sense of purpose and bonding during a difficult time, though it leaves some worried about the fate of these animals once restrictions are lifted.

The extent of how changing restrictions will affect adopted animals is still unclear, but the HSCC makes it clear that animal welfare work and education is very important to the organization. In addition to providing pets and animal care to the residents of Chittenden and Grand Isle county, the HSCC provides animal welfare education programs for all ages, like Camp Pawpaw for ages 5-12, The Animal Welfare Warrior Program for ages 13-15 and the Helen Kerr Humane Education Series for adults. Each program is planned for 2021 with the necessary changes for public safety.

Currently in self-quarantine, Murray is grateful for the extra company of her new kitten. “She just makes me a little bit happier in a time when I’m a little bit sadder.”