Bridget Odorczyk and her boyfriend Kyle pose with their dog Libby at Durand Eastman Beach, in Rochester, N.Y.. “It was very hard to find a dog during quarantine, like everyone was getting dogs” says Bridget. “Everyone was getting dogs. I was finally like okay I finally have time; I’m going to be home.” Bridget and Kyle adopted their dog Libby from Lollypop Farm in late April of 2020. “I was worried how she was going to do, I had always been home and then went back to work.” While Bridget went back to work Kyle was still home with Libby. “She was sick when I got her from Lollypop, she had heartworms. It was technically a foster to adopt program” says Bridget. Once she tested negative for heartworms she was able to be adopted. Bridget’s parents live near Durand Eastman Beach, so they often spent a lot of time there during quarantine.
Pandemic Boom
“I do know we had fewer available pets because - as we told adopters at the time - we were only taking in the animals who had no other options, essentially” says Leslie Wainger an Adoption Counselor at Lollypop Farm. “During lockdown we kept a log of adopters and what they were looking for, and we called people in the order they called us when we had a potential match.”
Animal adoptions surged during the beginning of the pandemic as quarantine lockdown continued nationwide. An August 2020 Washington Post article reported more consumer demand than there were dogs and puppies to fill them. A Los Angeles shelter had doubled their usual rate of adoptions in late June, “My inventory is low,” Madeline Berstein, president of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles said. “All the shelters are in the same boat, but people still want to adopt.”
As life has started to open up, people are questioning what to do with their newly adopted animals. “COVID and lockdown did result in a lot of adoptions” says Leslie. “But I believe our return percentage was no different from what it was pre-pandemic.” This series is about animals adopted during the pandemic in Rochester, N.Y. and its surrounding areas and where each pet adopter spent most of their time during lockdown.
Jayden Schading poses with her recently adopted guinea pigs, Chip and Dip, at her home in Rochester, N.Y. Jayden adopted her guinea pigs in August of 2021 and named them after Mexican foods. “I had two guinea pigs when I was younger, they were boys” Jayden says, “I wanted two females this time.” Jayden was under the impression she received two females, until Dip became pregnant. Unfortunately, Dip had complications and the pups did not make it and Dip died a few weeks later. “I wanted to have a pet because they help me have companionship.”
Rick Wright and his wife Bonnie pose with their dog Lucky at their home in Hamlin, N.Y. Rick and his wife adopted their dog the day after Thanksgiving in 2020 from Lollypop Farm. “I have been looking since our other one was put down in 2015. Every time we would look for a dog the dog would already be gone” says Rick. When Lucky was adopted, he was very timid and had some health concerns being his fourth home by the age of three. “In the beginning when we had to give him pills everyday it was hard” says Rick “But he is doing better now.” Bonnie is retired so she takes Lucky for a walk everyday while Rick is at work. They often spent a lot of time in a green space behind their home during quarantine.
Ella Shea and boyfriend Chase Armador pose with their cat Dooku at their home in Rochester, N.Y. Ella and Chase adopted their cat in May of 2021 from Pet Pride New York. “We had a horrible mouse problem. It was getting really bad and we didn’t want to use mouse traps” says Ella. “Dooku never caught a mouse, but he terrified them, and they haven’t shown their faces since.” When asked if they regret adopting Dooku, “it impacts future plans a little having him” says Chase. “We just made a twenty-year commitment together, we’ll just flip flop him like divorcee parents” added Ella. Ella and Chase have tried to train Dooku to be an adventure cat, however most of their time spent with him is inside.
Julie Milliken poses with her dog Herbert at an Ontario Pathways trail in Orleans, N.Y. Julie adopted Herbert from Lollypop Farm in November of 2020, “Herbie and I have been together for about one year” says Julie. Earlier in the year Julie’s Pitbull mix got cancer and put him down. “I went about a month and its very lonely and very quiet. I just couldn’t handle not having a dog I’ve had dogs pretty much my whole life.” Herbert was one of three options at Lollypop Farm’s and had been at the shelter only a week before getting adopted. During quarantine, Julie and Herbert spent most of their time outdoors secluded from people since Julie works as a chef in a senior living center.