Vets say COVID-19 has left pets with varied problems

Bereaved, abandoned and lonely pets are feeling stressed, say doctors and pet parents

In the middle of February, a young man residing at a prominent apartment complex in the city passed away, leaving a litter of Golden Retriever dogs he had lovingly raised. The young man’s father had come for his last rites from another city but there was no way he could carry the pets back with him. Thankfully, in the next few weeks, there was a social media campaign and the pets were adopted.  Another Golden Retriever, whose pet parent died of COVID-19-related issues on February 6, is still awaiting a new home.

The COVID-19 pandemic, which has had an unforeseen impact on humans, also adversely affected pets that are so much part of our lives, feels Amalendu Chakraborty, one Kolkata’s well-known veterinarians.

 “In the pandemic, when people could not go out, these pets provided company at home. Over the past few months, I have regularly receiving requests from pet parents that they want to give away their pets to someone who can take care of them,“ Dr. Chakraborty said. While deaths due to COVID-19 have impacted pets, economic distress among pet parents is forcing many to give them away, the veterinarian said.

Another veterinarian, Abhiroop Banerjee, said there had been a huge wave of abandonment of pets in 2021. “The overall economic condition of people has deteriorated because of pandemic. We can see that necessary vaccination of dogs is being delayed and pet parents have no money for it. Also, for dogs suffering from diabetes and other conditions, when we prescribe specialised foods, we see people can’t afford it,” Dr. Banerjee said.

Both the veterinarians, Dr. Chakraborty and Dr. Banerjee, are of the opinion that in the entire two years of the pandemic, pets have faced “multifaceted problems”, which include nutrition, health and access to veterinarians. “Sadly, there are no studies to ascertain the impact of COVID-19 on pets,” Dr. Chakraborty said. Even when there is abandonment, or the pets change hands, the animals are subjected to huge stress, according to doctors.

Somali Chowdhury, who owns a pet shop in the southern fringes of the city, is facing another peculiar problem with her 18-month-old Labrador, Bruno. “We got him in the middle of the pandemic. Now, since offices, schools and commercial establishments are open, I have to go out and my daughter has to go school and the pet feels lonely. Recently, we had to keep a pet-sitter at home,” Ms. Chowdhury said.  The pet store owner added that many people adopted pets during the pandemic when they were lonely and staying indoors, but are not habituated to keeping pets and this actually is very stressful for pets.