Pandemic Pets: Welcome Home

During a time of nationwide stress and uncertainty amid the COVID-19 pandemic, pets are providing the extra companionship people crave. And those without pets have been opening their hearts and homes, adopting and fostering animals in need.

 

As the saying goes, it’s often hard to tell who rescued who.

 

Palmetto Paws Animal Rescue has seen an increase in adoption applications since the lockdown began. The organization meets with prospective parents to go over medical matters and training. This helps circumvent concerns regarding returning pets to the shelter when things go back to normal.

 

“I don’t feel these adopters will ‘change their minds’ as they didn’t just walk into a facility and adopt on the spot,” a spokesperson said.

 

Nelliefield Plantation residents Briana and Max Nicastro are passionate about pets and both volunteer at local shelters. Max owns Skate Dogtor, a dog walking service with a skating twist, that often partners with local Charleston area shelters to showcase adoptable pets.

 

The couple didn’t plan to adopt during the pandemic, but during the COVID-19 crisis they instantly fell in love with a stray they were fostering.

 

“We already have three dogs of our own and just bought a new house with a yard. We truly only planned on fostering to help out the shelter during the difficult time, but we couldn’t imagine ever having Indie live with anyone else. With both of us home during the pandemic, it was the perfect time,” said Briana.

 

Kate Litten’s daughter, Daisy, was lonely because she couldn’t play with friends. After watching the movie “Togo,” they immediately went out and adopted Lucy, an Eskimo and Pomeranian mix. Kate said the timing was perfect: “The best part was being able to be at home to help train her.” 

 

The timing also was right to adopt for the Swackhamer Family.

 

 “We had been thinking about it for a while due to the hard loss of our old pup. We saw a fellow DI resident Terese Dynjan’s post about fostering with Libby and Mace’s Place Animal Rescue …We went to go see little Louie in her backyard and fell in love. It has been such a bright spot during a difficult time,” said Stefanie Swackhamer.

 

Terry Haas, Daniel Island resident and real estate agent, also found an opportunity to adopt through Terese Dynjan.

 

“Our neighbor was fostering her and we were able to get to know her a little bit prior to formally adopting. We think Ruby found us at the perfect time for our family. We all got to be home together and learn how to best love her,” Haas said.

 

Dynjan helps facilitate fostering and finding “fur-ever” homes for area animals. “Fosters are critical because they help get to know the dog, which helps ensure the family that adopts them will be a good fit,” she said.

 

Dynjan works with Libby and Mace’s Place Rescue, an organization started in 2019 by Laura Phillips of Tidewater Veterinary. 

 

“I’ve always had more than one dog and currently only have one. He is an almost 3-year-old springer spaniel named Truman. [He] loves other dogs, so with the quarantine I felt the time was right to jump in,” Dynjan said.

 

Paul Carletta was considering adopting a puppy for a long time, but his job required travel. When the stay-at-home orders were put in place, Carletta knew his work travel would end for the foreseeable future.

 

He found Marley (named after musician Bob Marley) at a breeder in Georgia. Carletta planned to leave the young poodle with the pup’s mother, but he decided to pick up Bob a few days early after Georgia announced an upcoming quarantine.

 

“It is great having companionship while I am required to work from home. Since the stay-at-home orders have been relaxed, I have noticed that my friends are visiting more frequently. I sometimes think that they like Marley more than me,” joked Carletta.

 

 Stephanie Kibler adopted a kitten in March after the unexpected loss of the family’s cat last year. 

 

“We were all so sad and now Millie has brought such a light into our house … She loves attention and is most definitely sad when we leave because we rarely ever do because of COVID,” she explained.

 

Over the stay-home order, Elizabeth Perkis and her family fostered and then adopted a dog. “She’s a big challenge and a bigger reward. Quinna was recently in a hoarding situation with more than 30 completely untrained, unspayed, unneutered dogs,” Perkis said. “She’s now happily adjusting to life in our home.”

 

Daniel Island resident Kajsa Flodén calls her rescue a #fosterfail.

 

“Since we were quarantined, I was working from home and the kids were doing e-learning from home. We thought it would be nice to help the rescue center out and foster a puppy for a couple of weeks. Once he came to us, there was no way we could give him away, so we decided to adopt him and take him with us to Sweden when

we move back.”

 

After losing their dog in July 2019, Gabe and Lisa Brogden knew they would eventually get another dog, but the timing had to be right.

 

“I would often send Gabe pictures of puppies and his response was always, ‘Let’s go get him.’ Time and time again my heart was on the mend, but I wasn’t quite ready,” Lisa said.

 

On April 11 at 4:32 p.m., she saw a post thanking folks that picked up puppies, but mentioned they still had one left. She immediately sent the screenshot to her husband. “I walked outside and heard him say, ‘We’ll take him!’ It literally happened that fast, and 4:40 p.m. we were the proud new parents of an 8-week-old puppy. I can

honestly say it was meant to be. By the time I make my way back to work, potty training should be a distant memory. I hope,” Lisa added.

 

Katherine Russell, pet parent to cockapoo Nile, said one of the most difficult parts of having a pandemic puppy was staying inside more.

 

“We now have what they call a New Yorker puppy —  he likes to stay inside more than he enjoys walks. If we could just get him to love walks, we would be set,” she said. 

 

Sharon Siegel and her husband, Richard Hoffman, put off adopting a puppy because they were constantly traveling between Daniel Island and New Jersey. After the stay-at-home orders were put in place, the couple decided it was the perfect opportunity to adopt. 

 

“The big benefit to adopting now is that we’ve been able to spend a ton of time bonding with her,” stated Siegel.

 

With all these wonderful homes opening their doors to these furry friends, still more are awaiting a forever home at local shelters. Those interested in adding to their family should check with local rescues, or check out paper’s weekly listing of adoptable pets..