Dog sitter requests are increasing as travel resumes. After all, the pandemic, pups can’t take care of themselves.
My willingness to take care of other people’s pets was a major factor in my understanding of New York City. I learned about neighborhoods that were out of reach for me, and the lifestyles they lived.
How did I learn about cleaning services and garbage chutes? Dog runs and their politics Central Park’s off-leash times. Some buildings still have elevator operators. It is a fact that pet owners are given twice the amount of information on how to care for their pets as they do with children.
In my forties, even though some urban amenities are within reach, I continue to say yes. Dog sitting allows me to be a true dog lover without having a pet.
If it were possible to create a heatmap of happiness for spring 2020, the most popular spot in Manhattan’s Upper West Side would be Riverside Park during daylight hours.
While the majority of New York City and the rest of the globe were suffering from the brutal first wave of Covid-19 (as well as their very good lives), a segment of local dogs was enjoying their best possible life.
These dogs were able to receive individual attention, even from stressed-out owners who had been accustomed to the group walks. No more secret life for pets.
Since the borders are open again and travelers can now travel, I have personally seen an increase in the number of requests for dogs (and observed the surrendered, resigned animals, once more given to the group walks). There’s no doubt that some of it is due to the fact that many people became dog owners after the pandemic. In March 2020, there was a sharp rise in foster applications. Last year, the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association In March 2020, there was a sharp rise in foster applications.
Not just me. Amy Sparrow is the President-elect of the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters. She said that the repercussions of The Great Doggy Surge of 2020 can be felt across the country. It’s spread everywhere.
All these puppies now have to learn how to live alone. And their owners must learn to let them go.
Jamie DeChristopher, the owner of LuckyDog Brooklyn and a dog boarding expert for over 20 years, said: “There is a lot of separation anxiety.” Dogs start to wreck things around the home. The dogs will bark and howl. The dogs are suddenly left all alone and don’t know why. Everyone was at home, and now they are all going to work or have less time for the dogs.
Who are you calling? Dog sitters. Are the people who are not professionals — say, friends and family — also happy to be there? Not necessarily.
There are dog sitters who don’t seem to be enthusiastic about the job, and those that refuse to take on this responsibility. They can, however, be difficult to find. During the reporting of this article, I spoke to many people who said they had no interest in the dog care industry, but when asked to be on record, they quickly changed their minds. Many people said they declined requests based on “allergies”.
Melanie Nyema (41), a New York City-based performer, said: “You cannot tell the people that you do not like dogs.” They automatically assume you are a psychopath. “You could have just as easily said that you enjoy kicking babies.”
The truth is that Ms. Nyema loves babies and other people’s animals, but she “just doesn’t like dogs”.
I don’t hold the poles on subways, or touch the handrails of escalators. “You can’t tell where dogs were.”
Jason Duffy (48), a Los Angeles producer, compared dog sitting to driving a friend to LAX. “I love, but woof,” said Duffy.
It’s also not easy for owners to do. Bryn Diaz owns two dogs in Alpine, Utah and prefers to have someone familiar take care of her pets. She said that the only problem is, “I don’t like to be a burden and I do not want my friends to feel obligated.”
Many people are drawn to dogs and they offer emotional support in both directions. Nikita, a 22-year-old recent Binghamton University graduate who lives in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, in an apartment building which does not permit dogs, has found comfort in her two German Shepherds.
She said, “They helped me regain my mental health during the pandemic.” Sometimes, the comfort provided by a dog can be better than that of a person.
Julian Weller is a 31-year-old podcast producer from New York. He said, “It is a great way to socialize and you get to use your muscles in a different way.” You can have fun in a new way.
Allison Silverman (50), a Brooklyn-based television producer and writer, adopted Ziggy, an 11-year-old Labradoodle, during the holiday season. This was partly a test run for her family to determine if they should buy the puppy that her daughter, 10, had begged to get.
Silverman explained that part of the reason for their decision was “that we were in need of a boost”. It was so bad to be in the New York City lockdown area again in December and January. Ziggy really lifted my mood. “She made a huge difference” (They now have their own dog).
There are also those that will do this, though perhaps not out of dog devotion. Mia Cayard (24), an event producer from Florida who had recently relocated to New York, was asked by a friend to take care of her dog. Ms. Cayard explained that she made some calculations.
She said, “It all depends on three things.” It depends on “who asked you,” as well as how you feel about that person, and whether you are willing to compromise or change your mind.
Cayard took the dog. She said, “I thought this would be an experience that will help me grow.” I can do it. This is not a kid, and this is a dog. It cannot tell me anything that I have done wrong.
She was happy she made the decision. She said, “I love to reset when I’m at home, and to have a second being just lying there was great. And it made me think, “Oh, you are cute and friendly.” It looks at you with its little eyes. I like that.