Friday, April 19, 2024
Now that she has to report to work in person in order to bring home the bacon, Granbury Middle School special education teacher Nicole Jones worries whether her potbellied pig Rudy will suffer from separation anxiety.
Ever since schools shut down last March due to COVID-19, Rudy has been an almost constant companion for Jones.
When she cooks, he’s there. When she cleans, he’s there. When she prepares lesson plans on her laptop, Rudy’s snout is just over her shoulder.
Acton Elementary School 4th grade teacher Kali Saleh has the same concerns about her Shorkie mix Drake. She has bought him extra toys and treats to help ease the transition.
“He’s gone everywhere with us and has loved the extra attention and walks in Acton Nature Center,” Saleh stated.
Granbury schools will open for the school year – and for in-person classroom teaching – on Wednesday. That means that Rudy and Drake will be home alone for hours, five days a week.
Some GISD staffers might return home from work to find chewed shoes, toilet paper messes, potty mishaps and, well, God only knows what.
A recent study of 3,000 pet owners across the country found that nearly one in five Texas pet owners fear separation anxiety from their pet when they return to work after the lockdown has been fully lifted.
Bonds between animals and their human parents became so strong during the pandemic that two-thirds of pet owners surveyed said that their pets helped their mental health during the lockdown.
Thirty-eight percent said they would consider a small pay cut in order to keep working at home.
The survey was conducted by Mira-Pet, which specializes in oral hygiene technology for pets.
Perhaps not surprisingly, dogs are expected to feel the separation more than cats, which often exhibit aloof or stand-offish behavior.
Dr. Morgan Goodman at Granbury Animal Clinic said that some cats have been stressed out, not because their owners have gone back to work after months at home, but because they are home, period.
“I’ve had a lot of clients comment on that,” the veterinarian said. “More people are in the house and their routine is disrupted.”
HOW TO EASE THE TRANSITION
Goodman advised pet owners to consult with their veterinarian if they feel that their pet is experiencing or may experience separation anxiety.
Over-the-counter aids and medications are available, she said, but the vet should be consulted to make sure that nothing else is going on.
Pet parents who have been home an inordinate amount might be able to head off destructive behavior by following a few guidelines.
“We’ve had some complaints about dogs destroyings paintings, things that are valuable when the owner went back to work,” Goodman warned.
Goodman offered the following tips for pet owners who fear that separation anxiety might be an issue:
■ Help pets see that your leaving is “not the end of the world” by taking your keys and purse with you when taking out the trash.
“Kind of ease them into more alone time instead of all at once because that’s when they kind of lose it as far as the separation anxiety,” she said.
■ Close the door so that you are in one room and your pet is another to help them get used to the fact that they can be alone.
■ Create a safe place by having a crate for your pet containing a favorite toy or bed. The door to the crate can be left open if you’re going to be gone all day. The pet can be enclosed in the crate if you’re going to be away for only a short period.
■ Before leaving for the day, take your pet for a jog or a walk to help them release energy.
■ Leave dogs with a KONG – a rubber toy that contains a treat such as peanut butter.
■ Have scratching posts or cat trees for felines.
“Cats love to get up high and kind of relax up there,” Goodman said. “And they’ll have something to scratch besides your furniture.”
