DENVER (CBS4) – Every day we’re learning the indirect effects of our efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19. One examples is at Denver Animal Protection, where officers are seeing an increase in calls regarding aggressive dogs or dog bites, as well as suspected animal abuse.

Because of that, animal protection officer Daniel Ettinger has his hands full these days, despite the number of calls as a whole being down during the stay at home order. On Tuesday, CBS4 joined him for a ride along, and the first call was from a woman concerned about a dog in her neighborhood.

“He almost made it over and bit my one-and-a-half-year-old,” the woman said over the phone. “He was just playing in the yard, because, you know, coronavirus.”

The two responding officers found no major issues at the home, but instructed the dog owners to take a couple steps to be in compliance with city ordinances.

Ettinger says he believes a major factor in the increased number of aggressive animal and dog bite calls is the increase in people recreating around their neighborhoods during the stay at home order.

“I think what we’re seeing is people are out front, right? They’re sitting on their front porch or patio and they don’t have a leash on that dog, and then somebody comes riding by on a bike and that dog goes after them,” he said. “So that’s something, if you’re sitting at home, please have your dog on a leash if you’re sitting out front.”

According to Ettinger, there’s also been an increase in suspected animal abuse calls, which he thinks could be attributed to the stress people are under in these unprecedented times.

“I think some of the animal cruelty cases are coming from that, where people are redirecting their stress on the vulnerable like the animals,” Ettinger said.

COVID-19 has also changed how animal protection officers respond. Now, there’s a lot of work done by phone, new ways to return dogs to their owners at the Denver Animal Shelter without human to human contact, as well as an isolation area inside the shelter for any animal exposed to the virus.

Considered an essential service, the shelter is at full capacity, and will need to be. Officers are preparing for another unfortunate side effect of this pandemic.

“I think that we’ll find some animals will be surrendered to our shelter as well because they can’t continue the financial hardship that they’re in,” Ettinger said.

Ettinger says that doesn’t have to be the case though. If you’re stressed about feeding your animal, frustrated with it, or concerned about anything else, he urges you to call Animal Protection, because officers have the resources to help you.

“I think it’s important to reach out,” he said. “If you have a question, if you’re struggling, don’t think that you’re alone in this. We’re here to help you.”

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