CAPE CORAL, Fla. — With more of Southwest Florida reopening, it can also be a good time to transition your pets to being home alone.
The Cape Coral Animal Shelter says this helps prevent extreme cases of pet separation anxiety, which can often lead to destructive behaviors in your home.
They suggest easing them into a normal daily routine now, so animals can adjust to their pet owners being gone for longer periods of time.
"That is a concern. We’ve had a lot of adoptions. Our shelter alone had 128 adoptions since all this happened so there’s a lot of new animals out there in homes that aren't your typical home. It’s not going to be what it is in a couple weeks so it’s best to get in that routine now. It’s going to save a lot of issues later," said Liz McCauley, the Executive Director.
She says young or new pets can feel abandoned and panic, so start leaving them at home or in a crate for shirt periods of time.
An enrichment toy, like stuffed Kongs for dogs, can also help keep them busy.
The animal shelter in Cape Coral recently opened last month. They say all adoptions are currently by appointment.
The shelter has also teamed up with several local organizations to help at mobile food pantries in the community.
The shelter has been distributing free pet food to local owners that need help feeding their animals due to the financial impacts of COVID-19.
Thursday, Cape Coral Animal Shelter is teaming up with Community Cooperative for a mobile food pantry. It will be held at 4820 Leonard St in Cape Coral from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
To learn more about the Cape Coral Animal Shelter, click here.
To learn more on separation anxiety among pets, click here.
