At the start of COVID, and subsequent lockdowns, many people sought companionship in the form of a playful puppy, a curious kitten, or a sensitive senior animal. These lovely pets not only gave us company, but also permission to leave the house during the long weeks and months of lock down to walk the dog.
But today, it is as heartbreaking to see shelters fill up again, as it was heart-warming to see them empty.
Now that social distancing laws have relaxed somewhat, some people are noticing that out in the big world, their pet is anxious, aggressive, frightened or destructive.
Many of these animals were not socialised (or not socialised enough), partly because of the difficulty in socialising at the time, but also because new pet owners may not have understood the socialisation and exercise needs of their pooch.
Another issue facing animal owners is that now after working from home for many months, they are slowly going back to work, and for some going out to socialise with friends for the first time in a long time. All of a sudden, some pets are home alone for many hours a day and they are feeling the effects of social isolation which may well result in a slew of behavioural issues.
An anxious animal (and their human) may need a range of strategies to keep them safe, and Animal Reiki can be one such strategy.
You can read more on this topic on my blog on Natural Therapies Pages