Working adults are itching to get back to the office, the kids can’t wait to see their friends at school, and stay-at-home parents are over the role of playing teacher. While most of us are getting a little stir crazy staying at home, one family member loves every minute of this quarantine lifestyle.
You know, the hairy little guy always waiting at the window for you to get home, the one jumping around at the front door like she hasn’t seen you in years when you stepped outside for two minutes, the loyal companion always ready to take a nice long walk – your pet!
Our pets have served as a source of comfort during these trying times. They keep us company, force us to step outside and breathe in some fresh air, and are there to cuddle with us on the sofa when we’re watching Netflix for the 12th hour on a Sunday.
Even sheltered animals are feeling the love! According to an article on Bloomberg.com, there’s a shortage of pets available to foster in New York City, and shelters in LA have seen a 70% increase in animals going into foster care.
National Pet Day is on Saturday, April 11th, and it’s the perfect time to thank our pets for providing us with so much love and comfort. Whether you’re fostering a four-legged friend, or you’re celebrating a lifelong family-member – here are a few things you can do for your fur babies at home on National Pet Day:
1.Take them for a long walk:
Staying home doesn’t mean you can’t let your dog out in your private outdoor space. If you live in a Lennar Atlanta community like East Highlands, Parkside Meadows, Arbors II at Lakeview, Timberbrook, and many others, you have a beautiful big yard with plenty of space to let your dog out or take them for a walk. Just be sure to always maintain the 6-foot distance rule between neighbors.
2. Go on an adventure:
When you think of a “happy dog,” you likely see the image of a dog with its head out the window of a car, ears flapping in the wind, howling with joy. With traffic so sparse these days, it’s the perfect time to take your four-legged companion on a mini road trip. Outside your community gates are miles of open, scenic road, and nature to be explored. Just 50 miles north of Atlanta and a short drive from the Mountain Crest community is the beautiful Lake Lanier, and only 78 miles north of Atlanta is the Chattahoochee National Forest. Click here for more local scenic routes to enjoy with your pet.
3. Treat them to a spa day:
While there isn’t any evidence that pets can get or spread the COVID-19 virus, owners and groomers certainly can. For this reason, we do not recommend going into a pet salon. Instead, consider a mobile grooming service such as Leidy’s Happy Tails. Leidy is a certified groomer with 13 years of experience in Atlanta and has 50 five star reviews on Thumbtack. Schedule a time for Leidy to swing by your home in her mobile grooming van on the website and send your four-legged friend out for pick-up when she arrives. Payment can be made via Paypal, Square cash app, Venmo, or Zelle. Your pet will come home looking great and feeling fresh in no time.
4. Sign-up for a Subscription Service:
We all love our subscription services – meal kits, cosmetic samples, and monthly shave clubs. One can only imagine your pet would enjoy a subscription box filled with treats and toys too! Subscription boxes for pets like BarkBox and Caty Lady Box are great for sampling new treats and buying your pet toys each month. A lot of these boxes have a monthly theme and support independent artists and small businesses, so you end up trying products you may not have otherwise heard of.
5. Donate to The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals:
We’re all thrilled that so many dogs and cats are getting adopted and fostered and are receiving the love and care they deserve. There is however some fear that pets will be abandoned due to financial difficulty. ASPCA is working quickly to find permanent and temporary homes for the pets in their care to prepare for this. Even still – they could use our help with charitable donations. If you’d like to donate to ASPCA, please visit their website.
Show your pets how much their unconditional love and support means to you by giving them the National Pet Day they deserve even if that means spending some extra quality time with them cuddling on the couch.
