We all suffered during the pandemic, including our dogs. While some people loved spending more time with their humans as more people started working from home, the stress of a significant change still had an effect. When dog boarding facilities closed their doors, public parks were closed to the public, and life as we knew it changed, many pets were uprooted from their regular routines.
When the pandemic shut down Canada, Gem, a five-year-old shepherd mix, had to make some major life changes. The dog from Winnipeg was accustomed to attending HappyTails Pet Resort & Spa’s doggie daycare three to four times per week, but the epidemic caused things to change.
Gem was only allowed one visit each week, so she couldn’t take advantage of her regular doggy daycare sessions while her owners were at work. She didn’t feel that this was sufficient. Gem decided she needed a day at the “pet spa” in October 2020, some 8 months after all of Canada’s provinces and territories proclaimed states of emergency, so she escaped the gated backyard and walked herself there!
One of the staff members at the dog spa, Marty, is seen opening the entrance and allowing Gem inside in a video that was posted on Facebook. Her parents are nowhere to be found when he checks about. Marty “noticed a dog pop its nose through our front gate and waited for them to enter,” HappyTails Pet Resort & Spa wrote in the article (with a human). This puppy was actually by itself and was one of our regular daycare puppies, which surprised Marty.
After letting herself out of her yard, Gem “walked on over to HappyTails and waited for somebody to let her in to play,” the source continued. Marty called the dog’s parents right away and decided to let the puppy spend the day there because it was obvious she wanted to be there.