Pandemic Pup helps ease anxiety

Happy National Puppy Day! Nothing gives us more joy than a puppy and amidst Covid and quarantine, many have “taken the leap” and added one to the family. If you have, I would love to hear your story- just click on the link below to submit to the #PetStoryProject.

Thank you to Cheryl, for starting us off with her story about how their “Pandemic Pup" has been a powerful source of joy and healing.

“This is our Maltese Shih Tzu mix, Ollie! He would not be a part of our family if not for the pandemic, and he is definitely the best thing that happened to us last year. We all adore him, but my daughter has probably been most affected by having him in our family. She struggles with severe anxiety and depression, and fears of illness debilitated her last spring and summer to the point that she was unable to leave the house. Her condition, combined with us not being able to see anyone in our extended family (or even our older children) for the foreseeable future, led me to the realization that we NEEDED a puppy to bring us some joy. We chose Ollie from a reputable source, but were not able to meet him until he popped out of his travel crate on our doorstep...thankfully, he has been very happy, friendly, and joyful since that first moment! He is just what we needed! We feel so fortunate to have him in our family, and my daughter feels that she’s doing so much better because of him. This little pup is truly one of the great joys of our lives! “