Pet ownership and psychological well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

The question of pet ownership contributing to human well-being has received mixed empirical evidence. This contrasts with the lay intuition that pet ownership contributes positively to wellness. In a large representative sample, we investigate the differences that may exist between pet vs. non-pet owners in terms of their well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic, and examine among different sociodemographic strata, for whom pet ownership can be more vs. less beneficial. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted among Canadian adults (1220 pet owners, 1204 non-pet owners). Pet owners reported lower well-being than non-pet owners on a majority of well-being indicators; this general pet ownership effect held when accounting for pet species (dogs, cats, other species) and number of pets owned. Compared to owners of other pets, dog owners reported higher well-being. When examining the effect of pet ownership within different socioeconomic strata, being a pet owner was associated with lower well-being among: women; people who have 2 + children living at home; people who are unemployed. Our results offer a counterpoint to popular beliefs emphasising the benefits of pets to human wellness during the COVID-19 pandemic and confirm the importance of accounting for sociodemographic factors to further understand the experience of pet ownership.

Coexistence between Humans and ‘Misunderstood’ Domestic Cats in the Anthropocene: Exploring Behavioural Plasticity as a Gatekeeper of Evolution

“…In Australia, where unowned 'feral' cats are killed as part of environmental pest management across the country (urban, rural, and remote areas [98]), an estimated 316,000 cats were killed in 2017-2018 [90]. Yet an estimated 60% of people in Australia own a pet cat [99] and are managed under companion animal ownership legislation and policy [98].…”

Oral health, the patient's perspective during the COVID 19 pandemic

“…Aminot et al showed us that dog owners reported higher vitality and life satisfaction and lower loneliness and COVID-related impacts [12]. In our study 44.95% of dog owners actively involved in its care were worried about potential oral health problems during pandemic restrictions, a lower percentage compared with 52.05% of the general population.…”

Fantastic Beasts and Why It Is Necessary to Understand Our Relationship—Animal Companionship under Challenging Circumstances Using the Example of Long-Covid

“…In this context, studies suggest that animal companionship might be associated with increased symptoms of depression, higher levels of emotional distress, and a lower quality of life, especially during crises [ 15 , 16 , 17 ]. Moreover, the results indicate that, for example, during specific stressful situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic, pet owners report lower vitality, lower life satisfaction, and a lower life meaning, which might lead to the assumption that pets may contribute to an increased burden among owners [ 15 , 18 ].…”

“…Therefore, the COVID-19 pandemic provided an opportunity for researchers in this field to examine this phenomenon with regard to a global stressor, affecting individuals worldwide, in more detail. In this context, most of the studies indicate a significant and complex influence of animal companionship and related responsibilities in the context of stress experience that seems to be strongly determined by external stressors [ 15 , 17 , 18 ]. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate a wide range of external stressors that animal caregivers were exposed to during the last two years of the pandemic, including the long-term effects of a COVID-19 infection (“Long-Covid” or “Post COVID-19 condition”) [ 22 ] and concerns related to caring for an animal as well as the pandemic itself.…”