Pet adoptions jump for Belgian animal shelter in virus lockdown
Bryan Regnier is seen with his dogs Sky, a Chihuahua and T'ouva, a mix between Malinois and Groenendael, in Wavre, Belgium April 6, 2020. REUTERS/Yves Herman
A Belgian animal shelter that saves 1,600 abandoned and mistreated cats and dogs a year has seen a spike in adoptions and fewer pets left on the streets since the coronavirus outbreak in the past month.
Belgium has entered a fourth week of lockdown, including the closure of restaurants, cafes and many shops, but the Sans Collier (French for 'without a collar') refuge has been allowed to stay open.
Thierry Regnier and his son Bryan are seen in the garden with their dogs, Lucky, Blacky, Channel, and just adopted Sky and T'ouva, in Wavre, Belgium April 6, 2020. REUTERS/Yves Herman
Sebastien de Jonge, the shelter's director, said there had been a 15% increase in adoptions, a 25% decline in the number of animals it had taken in and a doubling of interest from people wanting to adopt. But there was still a substantial number for whom the answer had been a polite "no", or at least "not yet".
"The confinement is for us, you could say, positive for adoptions because a number of people who had thought for the past months or years of adopting they find it is the right moment now to come and take an animal," he said.
However, the shelter has filtered out people who had not shown previous interest and, for example, had simply called to say it made sense to have a dog as a companion during lockdown.
Drake, a 2.5 year-old Beauceron, is seen while being adopted by Belgian Sandra de Geradon and Cyprien De Boeck at the Belgian animal shelter "Sans Collier", amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Perwez, Belgium April 6, 2020. REUTERS/Yves Herman
"We'd have to say 'no', think about and it and maybe come back later. It's something you really have to give serious thought to," de Jonge said.
(Reporting by Yves Herman and Philip Blenkinsop; Editing by Giles Elgood)
Leona, a 3.5 year-old American Staff is seen playing, being adopted by Patrick Noel and his daughter Elisa 2 weeks ago, in Wavre, Belgium April 6, 2020. REUTERS/Yves HermanElisa Noel plays with Leona, a 3.5 year-old American Staff, she adopted 2 weeks ago, in Wavre, Belgium April 6, 2020. REUTERS/Yves HermanDrake, a 2.5 year-old Beauceron, is seen while being adopted by Belgian Sandra de Geradon and Cyprien De Boeck at the Belgian animal shelter "Sans Collier", amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Perwez, Belgium April 6, 2020. REUTERS/Yves HermanDrake, a 2.5 year-old Beauceron, is seen while being adopted by Belgian Sandra de Geradon and Cyprien De Boeck at the Belgian animal shelter "Sans Collier", amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Perwez, Belgium April 6, 2020. REUTERS/Yves HermanDrake, a 2.5 year-old Beauceron, is seen while being adopted by Belgian Sandra de Geradon and Cyprien De Boeck at the Belgian animal shelter "Sans Collier", amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Perwez, Belgium April 6, 2020. REUTERS/Yves HermanNisrine Glautier, a volunteer at the Belgian animal shelter "Sans Collier" holds Tache, a nine-year-old Jack Russell Terrier, ready to be adopted in Perwez, Belgium April 6, 2020. REUTERS/Yves HermanNisrine Glautier, a volunteer at the Belgian animal shelter "Sans Collier" holds Tache, a nine-year-old Jack Russell Terrier, ready to be adopted in Perwez, Belgium April 6, 2020. REUTERS/Yves Herman
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