The True Philadelphia Podcast With Matt O'donnell

When concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated and the stay-at-home orders went into place in March of 2020, my entire family was suddenly at home a lot more than usual. My dog Bailey, a generally happy-go-lucky eight-year-old Shichon, immediately knew something was wrong. He seemed spooked, he acted stressed and he watched us more closely. Bailey might have even picked up on our general concern as parents - I mean, remember the early days of the pandemic when everything seemed to happen all at once and confusion was rampant? I became curious about Bailey's response and wanted to know more. Dr. Carlo Siracusa is a veterinarian and associate professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Ryan Veterinary Hospital. He studies animal behavior and seeks to understand our pets' stress level and why certain animals can turn aggressive. The Society Hill resident owns a cat Elsa and yes, Elsa also noticed a drastic change in her owner's work life and even became confused. Bailey and I spoke to Dr. Siracusa throu