With citizens across the country stuck indoors and social distancing becoming the new norm there are hundreds of thousands of Americans looking to fill a void that has been left in their lives.
Stay at Home orders have been issued in over 40 states in response to the spread of COVID-19. This amounts to over 300 million people who have been urged to stay at home.
In anticipation of this lack of social connection, and the inevitable onset of boredom, animal shelters in affected states have reported a massive surge in pet adoption.
Many have completely cleared out their cages and kennels with all animals being adopted or fostered for a period of time.
For new pet owners, using this time at home will not only help alleviate the stress and loneliness that the stay at home order can bring, but it is also helpful for the new pet to have so much human contact when adjusting to their new surroundings.
However, some pet owners may have underestimated the challenges they have signed up for in taking home their new furry friend.
The availability of basics like pet food from the local supermarket has also come under pressure in some areas with demand surging amongst other hoarding behavior shoppers have embraced.
Many specialty retail pet shops have temporarily closed, and online stores are overwhelmed with delivery times stretching out far beyond regular timeframes.
Owners may have to get creative with homemade dog food and some DIY dog toys until conditions normalize.
Then there are essential vet services that have similar supply constraints which could make it difficult to access help in an emergency while shutdowns are in place.
Pet insurance and other programs designed to help pet owners manage medical care for their new furry friends are increasingly essential services as the number of first-time pet owners surge across the world.
Longer term the economic impact of the pandemic could also lead to an already stretched household budget to further struggle with an extra mouth to feed.
So while this is a good news story in the middle of a major worldwide crisis, the reality of the responsibility of pet ownership may take not have hit home for thousands of new pet owners.