Our next-door neighbors just adopted a chocolate lab, Max. It’s their second dog. Our neighbors two doors down are in the process of adopting a dog. My friend, whose family has never owned a dog, is also looking to adopt. Is this a pandemic trend? If Google Trends provide any indication, it is. U.S. data show searches for “adopt a puppy near me” surged between late February and April of this year, reaching a 5-year high in mid-April. While interest in adoption has waned a little since the peak period, it continues to be higher than in previous years.