Self-isolating and staying home during the global coronavirus pandemic has taken its toll. Many people have shared that they’re struggling with being cooped up at home.
Some folks are loving being able to spend extra time with family engaging in such activities as walking outdoors, which is allowed in most states with a stay-at-home order. Others have adopted a pet from a shelter or fostered one, which has alleviated the stress on animal shelters that are shut down and given a fur baby a second chance at love.
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Employees suddenly forced to work from home are having a hard time juggling parenthood, homeschooling and their jobs.
Such simple tasks as going to the grocery store are now an ordeal, what with wearing masks, waiting in line to enter the store and following the arrows for one-directional shopping (something some people can’t seem to follow oddly enough).
Kiddos can’t go to the playground anymore and teens can’t gather at the basketball court or stroll through the mall in many states. Restaurants are either completely shut down or, if allowed to be open, must follow social distancing guidelines and have tables six feet apart.
It’s a new way of life and many can’t handle not being around other people. There’s a funny meme circulating social media that asks if people have to keep their same families for the rest of the stay-at-home orders or if they could trade.
When you work from home and your manager wants a word with you pic.twitter.com/XyapLRa5S7
— Nikkipedia ⚥ 🏳️🌈🏴 (@Hughes87n) March 25, 2020
People have noticed that their dogs are loving having family members home, but their cats are not impressed. There’s even some comical memes about this, too.
Rashida Ellis has been holed up in her apartment for some time now, social distancing with her three-year-old English bulldog Pop whom she fondly calls Big Poppa. While he loves having her home more, Rashida has noticed Big Poppa becoming more and more forlorn and the reason breaks her heart.
Handsome Boy let me take some pics of him. #BigPoppa pic.twitter.com/2b2eKte2bn
— Rae Elle (@RaeElle) May 2, 2020
She saw Pop sitting on her Atlanta apartment patio looking quite downtrodden. She snapped a quick pic of her beautiful bulldog and it’s gone viral.
The photo demonstrates that it’s not just humans that are struggling with being home and away from others. Pets are, too. Pop is sleeping more and sluggish, too, she shared.
“I heard Pop on the patio whining and then he just sat down and dropped his head.”
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Usually, Big Poppa is warmly welcomed by all the kids at the apartment complex who love the rotund dog. But they haven’t been able to get close to any of them like before the coronavirus swept across the country.
“I grabbed my phone and took the picture to share with my friends because he was so sad. I went to go and give him a rub, and I noticed two children outside — they’re brothers — that Pop plays with sometimes on his walk, and I realized he was trying to get their attention but could not.”
Still, Rashida said Big Poppa makes self-isolating much easier for her, since he’s such an awesome dog.
“It’s just me and him, so without him, being [inside] during quarantine would be a lot harder for me. Some days, he does the silliest things, and it just makes me laugh so hard.”
Rashida had no idea that when she shared the photo of Big Poppa on Twitter that it would go viral. Overnight, he became an instant canine celebrity.
“I posted the picture and thought nothing of it.”
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It’s since been retweeted more than 95,000 times. She aptly captioned the photo:
“Big Poppa has been so sad today, I think he misses playing with the kids in the building. He just watches them from the patio.”
To help entertain others stuck at home, Rashida has been sharing more photos and information about her best buddy. For example, she ordered Pop a new comfy dog bed, but it was too small. Still, he didn’t care.
🤣🤣 I bought Poppa a new bed during lockdown. It arrived to small but he wouldn’t get out of it 🤣 pic.twitter.com/TS3KG1DpOl
— Rae Elle (@RaeElle) April 22, 2020
People everywhere felt so sorry for Big Poppa. He also became an inadvertent poster pup for why people need to stay home so that things return to normal safely and healthfully soon, noted Twitter user Jaq Lugg.
“If you aren’t staying at home, you are actively contributing to Big Poppa’s frown and that just cannot be tolerated.”
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What’s heartbreaking is that Big Poppa continues to wander out onto Rashida’s apartment patio and glances longingly for other people and pups to socialize with, not knowing that he can’t just yet.
“Pop loves children more than anything in the world.”
Big Poppa, we completely understand how tough it is not to be around friends and family right now. We hope you are able to frolic with others very soon!
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