Lauren Dodds
As divided as the world is, we were all affected by one virus. The coronavirus. With the pandemic, in the UK came: a four tier system, three national lockdowns, a two metre distance and a track and trace app. Mental health was often talked about on social media during the pandemic and we all have different coping strategies. For those of us who are lucky enough to have pets we should all be able to agree that the long months spent at home were made a lot easier by our household animals.
I have a dog called Alfie, he is a Jack Russell terrier and he’s six years old. He lived with my grandparents during the lockdown and they both really appreciated the company! They had to shield so we didn’t get to see them for a few months but our morale was kept up by drive-by visits where we would talk through the window and Alfie would sit on the window sill and listen to the conversation. My grandparents always used to say that it was because of Alfie that they were able to keep a constant smile on their faces. I always used to run up to their house every Wednesday without fail. I used to sit in the garden two metres away from them and I would have a cold fizzy drink with ice in it before running back.
As restrictions eased, my mam and I would take the dog out for walks in the local area. I used to go on the internet and look for good places to walk him around Newcastle. One of our favorite places to walk Alfie is Weetslade country park in North Tyneside. There’s a big hill which was used for mining at one point which you can walk up. There’s also lots of paths around it and you can go near the farm and if you’re lucky you can see the horses!
But then something terrible happened. My covid test came back positive. It was that time spent in self isolation that I came to realise how important our pets really are to us. When I was ill all I wanted to do was go and walk my dog but I couldn’t. After isolation had finished I didn’t have the energy to do much so he came over and we just sat in the garden. My spirit was boosted enormously by the comfort of my four legged best friend and after a brief but solitary period I realised just how much I value not only my own dog but animals in general. I’m sure I’m not the only one who came to this realisation as a direct result of covid.
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