INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – With more people staying and working from home, furry colleagues are becoming a social media trend.

Indianapolis Animal Care Services (IACS) says if you’ve been thinking of bringing a pet into your home, now is a good time to look at adoption.

The agency is moving towards curbside adoptions in an effort to limit in-person interaction at the shelter in response to the pandemic.

The process starts with an online pet matching application. IACS says they’ve received 250 applications since they started curbside adoptions on March 25.

Based on the application, staff will then select animals they think will be the best fit for that family and their lifestyle. But, you can also enter the name of an animal you find on PetFinder or the IACS Facebook page.

A staff member will then call you to set up an appointment to go to the shelter for meet-and-greets, which for dogs will take place in the shelter’s outdoor dog run area. For cat adoptions, meet-and-greets will take place in the shelter, but IACS says extra precautions will be taken.

Lisa Bockoski has been volunteering with IACS for three years and has adopted two dogs of her own. Bockoski says curbside adoptions will take time to get used to, but that fostering has been up.

“We’re all isolated and what a great thing to do is to have a pet around. I’ve never seen the shelter so empty which makes you feel so good because it’s usually full. It’s really good to see people in the community really step up during this time,” said Bockoski.

Bockoski also says volunteers are still needed on a limited basis to help with the essential care of pets like walking. feeding or administering medications.

“Volunteers are really wiping down cages, handles, everything about every hour. They are limiting the number of people in the building. I feel safe,” added Bockoski.

This pet lover also says the newfound time at home could be great for a new pet.

“It’s always a good time to adopt a pet, but especially now because you’re home to introduce the dog or cat to your home. Being away from a pet can be stressful for new adoptions, and so being home you can give that quality experience to him or her,” Bockoski said.