Locked-down Brits seek creature comfort

Stranded at home, Britons have sought solace in their traditional passion for animals, with shelters recording a wave of applications to adopt dogs and cats.

The famous shelter at Battersea in south London saw 86 dogs and 69 cats leave in the week before the government announced its coronavirus lockdown, more than double the number at this time last year, leading to warnings against impulsive adoptions.

"We are a country of animal lovers and I think people recognise the situation we find ourselves in is exceptional," said Steve Craddock, Centre Manager at Battersea.

While all three Battersea centres have closed since the lockdown, "people continue to apply for adoption online," he said.

"We haven't seen an increase of animals being abandoned which is encouraging," he added.

The Kennel Club, the world-renowned British dog association, has also noted a "surge" in interest.

Puppy searches on its website increased by 53 percent between February and March, with a peak in the week before the confinement measures.

Labradors, cocker spaniels and golden retrievers led the searches, all breeds popular with families.

"There is an enormous surge," Bill Lambert, head of health and well-being at the Kennel Club, told AFP.

"People spend more time at home and are thinking that now they could actually have a dog," he added.

But the club warned against "impulsive" decisions to take on new pets.

"People are making decisions about what is happening right now but they might go back to work and their situation might change," said Lambert.

"There is a big risk with getting a puppy now when you've got lot of time on your hands, the puppy will spend lots of time with you and suddenly the puppy's routine will change and the puppy will be left on its own," he added.

"Puppies, and even older dogs should not be left for long periods of time."