Can I still adopt a pet?
Yes. Every shelter has different precautions.
At the Idaho Humane Society, you can schedule an appointment to meet pets on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Adopters can also stop by Thursday through Sunday to meet the animals. The shelter asks you to wear masks and limit the number of people in your group to meet animals.
Kristine Schellhaas, spokesperson for IHS, said people should consider their non-COVID lifestyles when picking a pet.
“Ask yourself, when things are normal again, are you still going to have time for that pet?” she said. “Our shelter staff can help find a good pet for your lifestyle. Those questions are a good way to set not only you but your new pet up for success.”
Other shelters are also taking appointments. Simply Cats, a no-kill center in Boise, is doing virtual appointments and asking would-be adopters to fill out a questionnaire to best match with cats first. At the West Valley Humane Society in Caldwell, adoptions are by appointment only. Click to read more…