Post-Lockdown Separation Anxiety

Hi ESP Pets Family! 

As restrictions on NJ continue to be lifted, I hope you are able to get out of the house now and breathe some fresh air. Even if just for a weekend or a few hours here and there to help recharge the batteries. Of course, we are not out of the woods yet, but we do at least have some options. 

As the state continues to open up, we are getting more clients reaching back out to us for care. We are so thrilled to provide the love and care for your furry kids again, and we look forward to continuing so.

With talking to clients, I have gotten some great insight that I would like to share. For those of us who have been on lockdown for the past few months, our cats and dogs are experiencing something that most have never dealt with before. They have their family or pack home all the time! Day after day and night after night we are there to keep them company, provide love, and exercise. What we are starting to notice as we begin to venture out of the house is that separation anxiety has now developed in many of our pets. Pets that always had a touch of it, now seem to be even more affected. In some cases, pets that never had any separation anxiety are starting to have a challenging time being alone. Of course, this is not every pet, but I have seen a good amount of those dealing with this now that we are getting out a little bit more.

Some ways to help your pet get back to how he/she was pre-COVID are to start by taking short trips. The idea is to gradually build their comfort level back up when being alone. This way, when you return to the office full time or want to take day trips, your pet will be comfortable. Even going to the beach for a few hours can be a little stressful at first. Of course, we are here to help you and them. If you want to go out for a few hours, feel free to reach out to us and we will be happy to provide them with a walk or a visit. It is also a good idea that your pets stay familiar with us as time goes on. Some clients have had us come once or twice a week, even with them being home. Some have us once a month. This will help with keeping them comfortable with us. A recent Bloomberg post addresses this very topic in depth.

I hope you are all well and have started to resume some form of normalcy. We can’t wait to see you all soon!

Best,

Evan