With school, cafes, offices, and libraries off-limits, most of us are faced with the challenge of having to work and study within the same four walls as we eat, sleep and live. Luckily, some of us can share that room with a four-legged – or else specified - friend!

The good news for pet owners is that the furry chums are delighted to spend now every second of the day with their beloved owner! It has been proven that having a pet can reduce the stress levels and enhance productivity. Therefore, it is no wonder that there was a sudden rise in the adoption and rescue of animals. People immediately realized the value of having a pet during the social isolation. But are there any downsides?

To celebrate the pets that have made our time during the pandemic more bearable, we are recapping our favorite stories of the Buas pets in isolation.

Daan - Leisure and events

During the lockdown, every family routine changed a bit, and some small events turned into a big family gathering. A family gathering isn’t complete without the animals of the house. Daan has a small bird in the house, and when the family would gather up together with a glass of wine, they would open his cage, and he could fly freely in the living room. Whenever there was wine in the living room the bird seemed to want to be closer to the glasses and would steal sips of it. Their argumentation stated that ‘he could smell and taste the grapes, just like in the wild’. Eventually, the bird got a bit addicted, and he would go crazy in the cage whenever someone opens a wine bottle. Changes were made after his ‘behavior’ around alcohol got out of control and he is no longer allowed out of his cage during the family events.

Minke - Creative business

Minke’s dog, Mexx, suffers from separation anxiety. So, when the lockdown started you would think this the dog became a bit more trustful and calmer. Every day, all day having people in the house would give him the assurance that he was in a safe environment. But above all wonders, lockdown or no lockdown the dog just couldn’t be away from his owner. He welcomes everyone with the same amount of enthusiasm, whether they have been away for three days or for 3 minutes. Minke used this in her advantage and says: “Now when I feel down, I would just simply leave the room for a minute and come back to a cuddle beast”. It's nice to feel appreciated once in (every) five minutes.

Danique - Creative business

She adopted a baby kitten to keep rats and mouses off their land, which is dedicated to grow vegetables. However, the cute little fuzzy ball convinced the woman of the house to keep him in for just a few days, now the kitten has never set foot on the grass. After many arguments within the household about what to do with the kitten. They decided to, soon, buy yet another cat who can fulfill the open job application.

Mere – Creative business

Her dog, Storm, decided to get more in touch with his feminine side and made a good attempt to menstruate. He wanted the full experience of a period and eat the whole box of tampons. Although it was a bold try, the boy was suffering. A trip to the vet ended with a trip for the dog. He got so high on drugs that he would simply fall down every time he was trying to stand up. Although the dog did not get the full experience of having a period, he sure knows not to want one!

Feel the sudden rush to adopt your own best friend? There are many shelters in Breda that can link the perfect animal to you. My personal favorite is chews and shelter, it is a shelter for bunnies and rabbits, it’s the perfect place if you feel overwhelmed. The young bunnies need to learn to be with people and the shelter encourages people to interact with them. But there are also many older rabbits who need a permanent home, think about one who lost his ears, or someone who’s head is backwards! If interested, head out to their website, and they will make a profile for you and match you with a new friend.

If you live in a student house where no pets are allowed. You can always start with a good old traditional goldfish! It is proven that having a noticeable decrease in stress when in the presence of an aquarium, even without having any fish in it! Whatever animal you choose make sure you give him as much joy and love as he/she gives you.