The Impact of Pets on Everyday Life for Older Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Applebaum, Jennifer W.; Ellison, Carlyn; Struckmeyer, Linda; Zsembik, Barbara A.; McDonald, Shelby E.

doi:10.3389/fpubh.2021.652610

Cited by 53 publications

(56 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…Their results indicated that for some of the survey participants, their cats can substitute for other humans in their social network [ 23 ]. In most cases, cats appear to be an additional source of emotional support [ 24 ], especially for those people who are strongly attached to their animals. Therefore, both social support and attachment are at work in these relationships, the relative importance of each depending upon the individual person in question.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cat owners’ perception on having a pet cat during the COVID-19 pandemic

et al. 2021

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Restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic may affect the lives of pet animals. We aimed to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the welfare of pet cats across countries, as well as the owners’ experience in relation to their cat(s). An online survey containing 21 questions was distributed internationally. Questions were related to information about the cat and its behaviour and health, changes in the household due to the pandemic, and how the owner related to the cat. The survey was completed by 324 respondents from 25 different countries. The survey showed that keeping pet cats during the COVID-19 pandemic did not create problems for the owners, except some difficulties in acquiring veterinary care. The majority (67.3%) of respondents reported no changes in their cats’ behaviour. When behavioural changes were reported, they were mostly of a positive nature. Owners who took more measures in relation to the cat to prevent the spread of the virus, e.g., reduced contact, were 1.8 times more likely to report changes in the behaviour of their cats but also 3.8 times more likely to report difficulties related to the care of the cat during the pandemic. Two-third of the respondents indicated a reduction of their own psychological tensions due to having a cat during the pandemic. We concluded that the welfare of pet cats, as reported by the owners, was not adversely affected by the pandemic and the human-cat interaction had positive effects on the owners during the lockdown.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cat owners’ perception on having a pet cat during the COVID-19 pandemic

et al. 2021

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“…[24] also showed that those who frequently took their pet to work evidenced higher work-related quality of life, general well-being, home-work interface, job-career satisfaction, more control at work, and better perceived working conditions compared to those who never took their pet to work. An experimental study showed that the presence of a dog in a work group increased positive emotions and improved the social and emotional climate [26]. It is likely that these bonds positively impact workers' well-being, and at the same time, promote the creation of positive work environments [27,28].…”

Section: The Benefit Of Pet-friendly Practicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Friends with Benefits: The Positive Consequences of Pet-Friendly Practices for Workers’ Well-Being

Silva

2022

IJERPH

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Although there is evidence that pets may help individuals who are facing significant daily stressors, little is known about the benefits of pet-friendly practices for their owners’ well-being. Based on the social exchange theory and on the Rusbult investment model, we argue that organizational pet-friendly practices will be viewed as a source of support from an organization that increases workers’ organizational identification, which in turn will lead to higher levels of psychological well-being and life satisfaction. For this study, 208 working adults answered an online questionnaire. Results from the study showed that the more pet-friendly practices the higher the workers’ organizational identification, which led to higher indices of psychological well-being and life satisfaction. This study contributes to a better understanding of the human–animal interaction and how pets can function as a resource for individuals’ well-being at work.

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“…Fears intensified as the number of cases grew exponentially and scientific knowledge of the means of transmission was limited and contradictory [2]. To mitigate the potential spread of COVID-19, numerous governmental agencies issued public health mandates requiring Research conducted during the initial months of COVID-19 has shown that while many companion animal guardians were worried about being able to provide for their companion animal and access veterinary medical services [48][49][50][51][52][53][54], they were grateful for the increased quality time with them and reflected on how their companion animal offered a decreased sense of loneliness [49,54,55]. Given the strong connections people have with their companion animals, and the potential benefits of companion dogs and cats, this study hypothesized that companion dogs and cats would positively impact guardians' mental health.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Psychosocial Influence of Companion Animals on Positive and Negative Affect during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Kogan

Currin‐McCulloch

Bussolari

et al. 2021

Animals

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The initial months of COVID-19 forced people to quickly adapt to dramatic changes to their daily lives. As a result of the inevitable decrease in access to social support available during the lockdown phase of COVID-19, countless individuals relied upon their companion dogs and cats. Given the strong connections people often have with their companion animals, this study hypothesized that companion dogs and cats would positively impact guardians’ mental health. Anonymous, cross-sectional online surveys were used to test this premise. A total of 5061 responses, primarily females (89%) from the United States (84%), were analyzed. Results suggest that companion animals played a critical role in helping reduce feelings of depression, anxiety, isolation, and loneliness for a majority of pet guardians. Companion animals also helped increase guardians’ experiences of self-compassion, ability to maintain a regular schedule, feel a sense of purpose and meaning, and cope with uncertainty. This was most pronounced for women under the age of 40 who were highly bonded to their companion animal. In conclusion, our study suggests that a companion dog or cat can buffer the effects of extreme stress and social isolation as witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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The Impact of Pets on Everyday Life for Older Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Cited by 53 publications

References 47 publications

Cat owners’ perception on having a pet cat during the COVID-19 pandemic

Cat owners’ perception on having a pet cat during the COVID-19 pandemic

Friends with Benefits: The Positive Consequences of Pet-Friendly Practices for Workers’ Well-Being

The Psychosocial Influence of Companion Animals on Positive and Negative Affect during the COVID-19 Pandemic

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