Pet adoption applications rise as people seek company in quarantine

The coronavirus self-quarantine has led many people to seek the company of a pet, according to the Animal Foundation.

Christi Dineff, director of lifesaving programs, said the foundation has received a record number of adoption and foster applications over the past week.

“We have hundreds of people wanting to adopt, and over a thousand foster applications,” Dineff said. “We need space and resources at the shelter, so having people foster the animals even if they can’t commit to adoption is incredibly helpful.”

Dineff said the foundation, 655 N. Mojave Road, has no shortage of animals available, and that there are more coming through the doors every day. The foundation has cats and dogs, but also offers some nontraditional pets, she said.

First are the working cats. These are cats that aren’t socialized and may not like a typical, domesticated home situation. Dineff said the working cats do great as outdoor cats used for pest control.

“They’re still happy to be pets, they just may not want to live inside a home with a family,” Dineff said. “But they’re great for pest and rodent control in barns, warehouses, churches and gardens.”

The foundation also had five pigs available as of Wednesday night, though they’re held off-site at ONE Family Animal Sanctuary. The pigs are all male and are “no more than a couple years old,” Dineff said.

She said she was glad to see an influx of applications, though it didn’t come as a surprise.

“We have such a great community, I’m not surprised at all to see people come forward to help save these animals’ lives,” Dineff said. “We can’t help the animals without community support, so it’s always heartwarming to see the community come together in times like this.”

Contact Alexis Egeland at aegeland@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0335. Follow @alexis_egeland on Twitter.