CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Pet adoptions have soared as people try to break the monotony of life during the pandemic. Families are learning and working from home, which means they have plenty of time to look after their new pets.
That could change in 2021.
The vaccine rollout means that schedules could return to where they were prior to March 2020. That would be a shock to the pandemic pets who are used to being in a house full of people at all times.
Dr. David Gonsky with West Loop Veterinary care in Chicago suggested pet owners should start training their pets now so that they are accustomed to being alone after their human returns to work.
"Dogs are creatures of habit, and the change, a sudden change, can disrupt their sense of wellbeing and their lifestyle, so we want to prepare them for a return to school and work," he said.
Gonsky hopes to avoid a flood of families returning pets they can no longer take care of.
"When people make a commitment to a pet, it's a lifelong commitment. Kind of like a marriage. For better or for worse, in sickness and in health," Dr. Gonsky said.
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He suggested training your pet by giving them more alone time, coupled with positive reinforcement if they keep to themselves. He added that training earlier rather than later gives pet owners more time to look for signs of separation anxiety.
"Soiling in the house when they didn't before. Being destructive. Scratching at walls, chewing on carpets, tearing up the couch. It could be pretty bad," Dr. Gonsky said.
If that happens, he said, call your veterinarian.