Animal shelters across the states are reporting some good news during the Covid-19 pandemic. Likely due to sheltering in place and stay-at-home orders, animal shelters have seen a surge in animal adoption. If you have ever considered adopting, now is the time to make it happen. Here are the top 4 reasons now is the best time to adopt a new furry friend and how Rug Doctor can help!

1. Extra Time for House/Crate Training
   
   One of the reason people put off adopting a pet is because they don’t have time to housetrain. It is hard to housetrain an animal when you are gone 8 hours a day at the office. Since many are working from home, now is the best time to adopt because you can easily let them out to potty. Even with potty breaks, puppies (and sometimes older animals in new environments) will still have accidents. That is where Rug Doctor can help. Our Urine Eliminator Plus carpet cleaner is specifically designed to eat away pet stains and deodorize and refresh your carpet. For set-in stains, try our Spot & Stain Pet Formula. It is an aerosol that comes with a built in scrub brush!

2. A Friend for the Kids
   
   Many children went home for spring break and never returned to school. They didn’t get to say goodbye to their teachers or their friends. Some have still not returned to school and haven’t seen their friends in months. Now is the best time to surprise them with a new pet to love and comfort them during these unprecedented times. Animals have been proven to help boost mood and morale. And who couldn’t use a boost right about now?

3. Co-Workers Actually Do Love to See Your Pets
   
   Pets can also bring your co-workers some unexpected delight. Many pets are reveling in their time to shine for the cameras. Lots funny pet work interruptions have gone viral and social media is full of posts of people with their new “colleagues”. Join in on the fun! Your new little companion may be just what one of your co-workers needs to brighten their day.

4. Pets make the Perfect Workout Buddy
   
   With most gyms closed or at limited capacity, you may be finding it hard to keep a workout routine. Your new workout buddy can help with that! Pets can make exercise fun. From taking your new dog on a walk or doing yoga with your new kitty, there are many different activities that can help you stay fit while also encouraging bonding with your new pet. Hop on over to YouTube to get some ideas.

Before you bring your new pet home, it is important to be prepared. Check out our list of Ten Must-Haves for Your Newly Adopted Pup. Also, it is very important to create a post-pandemic care plan. When things return to the “new-normal”, and you may not be at home as much. Think about things that you might need, such as a dog walker or pet sitter/daycare. It is important to consider these things BEFORE bringing an animal into your home.

Rug Doctor wishes you the very best of luck with your new pet! Take care of each other and don’t worry about the messes. Rug Doctor has plenty of carpet and hard floor machines and cleaning solutions to help you clean up pet messes easy and fast. No need to stress about that. Just enjoy the new addition to your family!