Nine months in, the COVID-19 pandemic is hitting San Diego hard. Spiking cases mean many businesses are struggling. Some have had to close. But there are some bright spots.
“We’re still doing all the work we would normally do, just in a different way," said San Diego Humane Society president Gary Weitzman.
Weitzman said the organization started doing things differently back in March, right after the pandemic hit.
It began holding drive-through events with volunteers and staff handing out free pet food to families in need.
Today, pet food is still being distributed 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday at all five Humane Society campuses.
These many months later, how is the nonprofit holding up during this time when businesses across the county are folding.
“We’ve been incredibly lucky that San Diego residents care so much about animals and they’ve supported us throughout the pandemic and they’re continuing to do so,” Weitzman said.
That support has allowed the Humane Society to be there for animals in need. The animals get the best care here until they find their forever homes, and the Society is there for animals outside these walls.
When the Valley Fire struck in September, more than 150 staff and volunteers helped to evacuate and shelter everything from horses to birds.
And the nonprofit was there in September and October, helping to evacuate and adopt out hundreds of dogs and cats from the hurricane-ravaged Gulf Coast.
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Weitzman said fewer pets have been dropped off during the pandemic, but even the ones who are here are spending a lot less time at the shelter than they used to.
In that way, the pandemic has brought a silver lining for people and pets.
“They need something to distract the kids and animals are great at that. They need something to take care of and to care for them back ... animals certainly give unconditional love because they can’t do different, but it’s the one thing we can give unconditional love back to,” Weitzman said.
Looking past the pandemic, Weitzman said the Humane Society will interact with people in a whole new way.
“We’re converting our basic business philosophy to actually help people in their communities rather than having them always have to come to our shelters ... and ensure that nobody that wants to keep their animals in their home, that wants to hold on to these most important things in their lives, will ever be at risk for losing them again,” he said.
A new way of doing things, a bright light at the end of this dark tunnel, something to look forward to for us humans and the animals we love so much.
