Lucknowites adopt pets to keep the stress away in these tough times

Beating stress staying indoors for most part of the day during these testing times of Coronavirus

pandemic

is not an easy task. However, making the whole unpleasant experience slightly better is the company of the pets. Ever since the lockdown began, a large number of people have been adopting pets, especially dogs, to beat stress and stay happy. Take for example the case of Pallavi Mishra, a homemaker in Aliganj, who recently bought a labrador pup for her 5 year-old son. “Since we were not allowing my son, Shaurya, to go out of the house to play, he was getting very restless staying indoors and watching TV. So, we thought of getting him a

furry friend

to keep him occupied and also happy. Now Shaurya and Rambo, his pet dog, are forever playing and are inseparable,” shares Pallavi.
Similarly for

Saurabh Lamba

, a collegian, who was getting bored staying at home all the time, got a pet dog for himself. “I think this is the best time to get one. I didn’t inform anyone before getting my pet, Sky, a pomeranian, home as most people in my house don’t like dogs. But now they all love him. Spending time with him is so destressing,” he says.

Parth Oberoi

, who finished law from a college in Gujarat is back home in Lucknow. He would miss his friends, so to make himself feel better Parth adopted a dog. “I don’t have friends in Lucknow and mine is a nuclear family. So I used to get really stressed sitting at home. So my mom and I decided to get a pet for the house to keep ourselves stress free,” says Parth.
For Bhumika Sharma, the lockdown period was proving to be very stressful. She had lost her job and had come back home to Lucknow from Chennai. To get her out of her lows her parents got her a dog. “When Bhumika came to Lucknow, we could see that she was upset and needed some TLC, so we got her a dog to help her heal,” says her mom Sunita. “The transformation in Bhumika was literally overnight after we got the stray dog. She is now happy and she and Roco, as she’s named the dog, are constant companions. Roco has really helped Bhumika overcome her emotional lows.”
“People have been adopting dogs a lot during this lockdown period,” says

Geeta Taneja

, who runs a shelter and pet shop in Lucknow. “It feels good to be nurturing a life in these testing times, most say,” shares Geeta, adding, “It’s good to see that while some people are abandoning their pets, there are also people who are adopting and taking home animals,” she adds.
Having a pet is a big emotional support: Psychologists
“We recommend keeping pets because they provide a huge emotional support to a person. Pet therapy, as it is called, helps a person heal emotionally and mentally. Besides, in such stressful times, when there are emotional and communication issues, having an animal respond lovingly towards you is immensely healing. Also, we recommend small children to be exposed to pets because it develops a sense of responsibility in them. When one is isolated, as in these times, having a small furry thing to look after develops a sense of responsibility in a person.