Pandemic may be on but adoptions are up at Sudbury shelter

Sudbury animal shelter notices surge in adoptions The fact so many people are home right now is giving some pets a new leash on life, officials at a Sudbury pet shelter say.

SUDBURY — The world may still be in the midst of a pandemic but staff at the Greater Sudbury Animal Shelter have some good news to report.

It seems many of us are looking for a 'furry' companion to keep us company at home because adoptions at the facility are up.

"It's been going really well given the circumstances with COVID-19," said Melissa Laalo, the bylaw department coordinator who manages the facility. "We've been taking all the precautions that we can while serving the community."

Those in need of their services will notice a plastic shield around the reception desk. People are also being served from the yard to limit their interaction with one another and to encourage physical distancing.

But perhaps one of the biggest things to celebrate is the fact that adoptions are up.

"We've had a lot of public interest partially because of people being more socially active right now because they're home looking at social media and we get really get promotion of our animals that are up for adoption so our adoption rates are very high right now," explained Laalo.

Walking through the shelter you'll only find a few cats and dogs left that are looking for their forever homes.

It's bittersweet for staff who say they're thrilled for the animals.

"You get very attached to them and some of them need extra care so ya it's good and sad when they go," said Natalie Blanchette, a shelter employee.

"It's definitely rewarding for staff to see that turnaround, from an animal that comes in as a stray, to finding it a home, doing it in a quicker time period is definitely rewarding for staff," said Laalo.

And with many of us expected to return to work at some point, experts say there's no time like the present to get your dog accustomed to an absence.

"Maybe you want to do some preparation before you return to work, maybe it's gardening outside for an hour with the animal inside, with a little time alone just to remind them that maybe you might not be there 24/7 just to alleviate any social concerns," Laalo said.

The shelter is still open but those looking to adopt are being asked to book an appointment.