Testimonials of how pets can be used as amazing coping mechanisms

Dec 24, 2020 Features / Columnists, News

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By Mikaila Prince

Kaieteur News – In March, when former President David Granger had announced a Public Health Ordinance due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Guyana, like the rest of the world, fell into a social and economic stalemate that was compounded by an unprecedented health crisis. Thousands of Guyanese were forced to close their business; many were laid off from their jobs, while the entire country was forced to stay locked away in their homes for the safety of their health.
These public health actions, such as social distancing, can make people feel isolated and lonely and can increase stress and anxiety, says the United States Civil Defence Commission (CDC), while adding that coping with the stress in a healthy way will make you, the people you care about and your community stronger. One such coping mechanism can be that of a pet.
There’s no question that having a pet in your home can bring joy, comfort, and a sense of serenity in this time of solitude and worldly disarray. Below are the testimonies of just a handful of individuals who’ve managed to scrape through this difficult year and a more difficult Christmas season by the help and compassion of their furry babies.

Danielle and her soft girl Bella
Danielle, 26, says that she has always been an animal lover, but highlights that she’s always been particularly fond of dogs.
At the time when Guyana was recording its spikes in COVID-19 cases, Danielle who’s an Administrative Assistant, said that she was moved from her hometown of Bartica, Region Seven.
“At the time, and even now, my dog has been the only familiar and closest thing to family right now in my life. She was my home,” Danielle says.
Things took a dark turn when in August, Danielle had tested positive for COVID-19 and she was instructed to home isolate for almost 30 days.
“When I had tested positive for COVID-19, I was trapped in isolation at home. It was just me and my dog. During that isolation, my dog was literally the only other living thing near me. At the time of testing positive for COVID-19, I had slipped into depression; my mental health was a mess. My pup Bella, even though we speak completely different languages, understood the pain that I was in, and being the amazing dog that she is, she pulled me out of a dark place. My Bella was my biggest comfort throughout everything,” Danielle says on the brink of tears.
She continues, “My appreciation for the comfort and the cheerfulness that Bella gives to me has grown a lot. Like I said, Bella is everything to me. I plan my whole life around her; I make decisions always with her well being taken into consideration. She’s my child, she’s my world and I honestly don’t believe that I would’ve made it halfway through this pandemic and these festive holidays without her.”

 

Sydney and her family of a cat, a swimming dog and one chatty parrot
Sydney, a second year University of Guyana (UG) student, says that with the anxiety and stress of school, personal issues and now a pandemic, she can boldly say that 2020 has been one of her most difficult years.
That being said, Sydney adds that her biggest solace has definitely come from her pets.
“I know a lot of people have spent this time isolating by themselves; locked away from loved friends and family members, and that can be unbearably hard. So having my pets has made it easier for me, for me to cope with all the chaos. Your pets are basically your children, which is something that I tell people a lot. I don’t know what I would do without them.”

 

Kevin and TenTen
Like Danielle, Kevin had also tested positive for COVID-19, and he too was under home isolation by himself for weeks.
The 23-year-old says, “When I had tested positive for COVID-19, I was under home isolation and TenTen was my only distraction. I thought that being stuck at home by myself would have been dreadful; I was terrified at the thought of it. But my dog made it bearable, because every day just waking up next to his warm fuzziness made me happier. He made everything fun. In a world where everything feels upside down, He brought me that humorous and adorable serenity that a dog gives to you.”
At the age of 23, Kevin says he wanted to feel a greater sense of responsibility and maturity, so he adopted TenTen.
“I am very lucky to have him as a pet,” the Radio Personality says, “because even now, it has given me a huge sense of responsibility and it’s teaching me how to balance work and your personal life. Going into the new year, I’ll make myself feel more mature; ready to take on so much.”

 

 

Ken, Carl and Adaline
Ken, a local and undeniably talented photographer, is the father of two; one named Adaline and the other Carl. He considers these two as his blessings in furry form and his peace.
“Coming home and seeing them after a hard day of hearing about all the bad things going on in the world that just calms me right down. Because of the pandemic, I have all this new free time, so I’m around much more often and they see me a lot. I think it’s gotten to the point where they are probably frustrated by my affection, so we’ve gotten really close,” the 19-year-old said amidst a chuckle.
He added, “I don’t even call them my pets. Nobody calls them pets in this house. These are literally my children. I cannot live without the two of them. They held the most weight when it came to my mental health. My craft, which is something that relaxes me, was somewhat put on hold due to the pandemic. So they were there, so innocent, and they just made me feel whole.”

 

Mikaila and her regendered cat, Bella
I decided that I’d leave the final testimony to be presented by yours truly.
In March of this year, shortly after Guyanese went to the polls, I had adopted a cat and named it Bella. Funny enough, two months after I had adopted, I discovered that my cat was male and not female. By that time, my cat had already grown accustomed to being called Bella, so the name stuck.
Nine months later, I can honestly say that Bella has definitely been a source of comfort, playfulness and joy in my life. And in August when I had tested positive for COVID-19 and had to endure close to two months of home isolation, my cat effortlessly pulled me out from a gloomy, lonely abyss. For this, I am forever grateful to him.
Because of benefits and the unconditional love many share with their pets, people around the globe were extremely relieved when the World Health Organization (WHO) had reported that there is no evidence that domestic pets can transmit the new coronavirus that causes COVID-19. The virus is spread to humans through person-to-person contact, not pet-to-person, so interaction with pets is highly encouraged at this time as long as everyone involved — both humans and animals — are healthy.
Going forward into the New Year, I hope that we can all find a year of fortune, prosperity, and most importantly, good health. Happy holidays!

 

 

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