Stuck at home during Moscow’s coronavirus lockdown, Alexandra Novatova opted to use a delivery service — a big decision, because she was ordering more than a pizza or a shipment of toilet paper.

She got a dog brought to her door.

People in isolation during Moscow's strict lockdown, looking for animal companionship, are adopting dogs. And many dogs are making new friends, as volunteers walk the pets of elderly people.

“People are spending a lot of time at home during the pandemic. I realised that people now have more free time, they can adopt pets without taking a vacation or arranging extra days off,” said Anastasia Medvedeva, one of the organisers of the online adoption initiative “Happiness Delivered At Home.”

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