Your dog is an unsung COVID-19 hero. Washingtonians, take a day to celebrate

Wednesday marks National Dog Day. In any other year, this Editorial Board would let the day pass without mention much like we did for National Pancake Day, National Aunt’s Day and National Root Vegetable Day.

But this year isn’t like other years. Dogs and cats have been the unsung heroes of the 2020 coronavirus pandemic.

When Gov. Jay Inslee issued his stay-home, stay-safe orders back in March, businesses, bars and restaurants closed shop, but the Humane Society for Tacoma & Pierce County kept its doors open. These animal-welfare professionals figured they were an essential service, and boy, were they right.

What better way to ride out the imposed isolation than with the companionship of a dog or a cat?

Humane Society spokesperson Victoria Gingrey told us this week that the stream of people coming into the Nalley Valley facility in search of a four-legged friend has been steady these past five months.

Thanks to the Humane Society, 2,658 dogs, cats and critters have found homes in Pierce County this year, and 823 dogs, cats, and critters were returned to their owners. Even the 48 pit bulls rescued from a dog-fighting ring earlier have since become beloved family pets; only two still await a forever family.

We’re not surprised that Washington is America’s No. 3 most dog-loving state, according to a new survey by National Today. The survey found that 85 percent of Washingtonians love dogs, behind only California (88 percent) and New York (86 percent).

Unlike other humane societies across the US that have seen spikes in pet surrender due to economic hardship, the Pierce County facility is down to only a handful of dogs, cats and bunnies waiting for someone to give them a name and a place to belong.

Adopting a pet in Pierce County is as easy as going online and scrolling through pictures of available animals. If you see a furry mug you like, head down to 2608 Center St. in Tacoma where a staff member will meet you in the parking lot and arrange a meet-and-greet with a prospective pet.

Gingrey attributes the facility’s current low census to the society’s pet support helpline, a service that provides counseling to owners who are considering surrendering their pets. The helpline troubleshoots problems and offers alternate solutions.

“Our team is doing a great job counseling pet owners on ways to help with pet behavior and common issues like soiling outside the litter box, problems with other pets in the home, welcoming a new baby into a household, etc.,” Gingrey said.

She acknowledged the added expense of feeding pets is more than many people can take on right now and encourages any owner in an urgent situation to call. “We will never turn a pet in need away and we accept strays daily.”

It’s why our local Humane Society also offers a pet food pantry, where owners can pick up donated pet food free of charge; the only requirement is proof that a pet has been neutered or spayed.

If that’s not the case, the society’s Cinderella Program is the shelter’s low-cost spay/neuter fund available to low-income residents of Pierce County and low-income residents of Federal Way.

The pet food pantry has made it possible for hundreds of people to keep their pets, including those experiencing homelessness. The program is just one more reason to send the Humane Society a donation if you’re able.

“We believe the best place for pets is with their people,” Gingrey said.

Of course, the coronavirus pandemic has proven the reverse is also true: During troubled times, the best place for people is with their pets.

This story was originally published August 26, 2020 at 11:00 AM.