Want a Furry Friend to Keep You Company While Quarantined? Start Here

It’s no secret that in the era of self-isolation, more and more people have turned to pet parenting as a way to pass the time and curb loneliness. Plus, that means more animals out of shelters and into the homes of humans who more than likely have a little extra time to devote to their care. A win-win for all involved, regardless of your preferred species.

I’m one of those people who decided to adopt a pet right when stay at home orders began to roll out. I was a bit earlier, though – March 15 to be exact – so I still went through relatively traditional means of adoption when I went to pick up Scully (formerly known as Tulip), my new dog, from the Animal Welfare League of Arlington (AWLA) a few months back.

It was quick, safe and easy, and before I knew it, Scully was adjusted to me, my house and our new quarantine routine. But just because you weren’t literally and figuratively an early adopter of this trend doesn’t mean you still can’t find a dog, cat or other companion animal to call yours. I reached out to AWLA once more to check in on their new adoption process, and social media specialist Chelsea Jones walked me through the shelter’s new normal as well as ways to support their work through the pandemic.

Chelsea Jones: Absolutely. Our adoptions team receives up to hundreds of emails each week from interested adopters.

What was moving your adoption process online like? Can you walk me through the virtual adoption process?
Moving the process online was not all that difficult. The hardest part was figuring out the logistics on the back end, but our adoptions team did a great job making the process as streamlined as possible. There are a few steps to the process:

1. Look at the website to see if there any animals you are interested in.
2. Once you find an animal or two you are interested in, email the adoption application and a photo of your I.D. to [email protected].
3. The adoptions team will contact you to set up a time to chat with them via Zoom about the animal’s personality, medical history, etc. Adoptions are processed on a first-come, first-serve basis.
4. If it seems like a good fit for both the animal and adopter, and the adopter would like to move forward, we will set up a Zoom meeting with the foster family so the adopter can “meet” the pet.
5. If the adopter wants to move forward, the adoption team will set up a time for the adopter to pick the pet up at the shelter.

Have you seen any trends in adoptions, i.e. are people leaning toward dogs or cats or other small animals in particular?
We have had a much easier time finding homes for our rabbits and adult cats than we normally do when those animals are in foster.

In your opinion, why is this a great time to adopt an animal?
With so many people spending so much time at home, this is a great time to give your pet lots of attention, training and time to settle in when you first bring them home. Plus, for those that might be a little lonely at home, a new pet is the perfect companion!

If someone is not looking to adopt but wants to support AWLA in another capacity, how can they do so?
There are lots of ways you can support! Donate online, purchase an item from our Amazon wishlist or buy merchandise from our online store. We are always looking for new foster families, especially if you’re not able to commit to adopting right now. You can also follow us on social media and share our stories with your community!

If you’re interested in adopting from AWLA, visit www.awla.org to check out the pets in need of homes and to begin the adoption process. For more shelters in the DMV, click here. And if you’d like to keep up with Scully’s adventures in her new home, follow her on Instagram at @scullythealiendog.

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