Santa Barbara’s Pandemic Pets

We all coped with the pandemic in different ways. Some of us started new hobbies. Others buried themselves in work. Many just hung on by their fingernails. Whatever path we took, one thing was certain — having a furry buddy by your side made the days just a little more bearable.

This is a group of fostered and adopted pets who joined their new families over the past year, bringing with them an innocence and exuberance (and of course, a few challenges) that helped ease and distract from the challenges of lockdown.

We asked their proud new owners to give us the stories behind their names, explain what drew them to their new pet, and to describe their favorite activities.