Pets Boosted Mental Health, Reduced Stress During COVID-19 Pandemic: Study

A pet can turn out to be a great source of comfort and motivation. Pets help an individual to live mentally healthier lives.

Being locked down with the pets for long periods over the COVID-19 pandemic has made people appreciate them more. With many countries now relaxing curbs and freedoms gradually being reinstated, a growing band of research demonstrates how much of a crutch these furry friends have been during what has been a harsh time for many.

According to a 2021 study by the University of the West of Scotland, pet parents overwhelmingly believe that these creatures have boosted their well being during the pandemic and faded off loneliness.

"Physically detached from friends, family or colleagues, having a pet never meant truly being lonely," said Heather Clements, UWS Ph.D student, according to the World Economic Forum.

"Companion animals not only assisted in taking their owners' minds off negative thoughts associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, but also provided a much-needed source of purpose," Clements added.

Best Companions

Pet can also serve as a social catalyst, besides being the best companion. Even in the tightest of lockdowns, owners could walk their pets, especially dogs, potentially offering small windows of social distancing with other people.

Recent research states that older adults who walk their dogs experience fewer symptoms of loneliness than those who keep them at home. Among people that felt COVID-19 had cramped their social lives, those that walked their dogs once a day did not report feeling more lonely.

As the virus drastically changed the way people lived and worked, many of them saw an opportunity to get a new pet. According to one study, the more socially isolated people became, their interest in adopting a pet spiked.

Caring for a pet can help a person's mental health in many ways, including:

• Increasing physical activity: Dog owners are likely to take their pets out every day for a walk or jog. This can be a fun way to fit exercise into a routine.
  
• Providing companionship: Pets can give a sense of security and someone to share the day with. Caring for them can help one feel wanted and needed. This can be especially valuable for older adults or those who live alone.
  
• Reducing anxiety: The companionship of a pet can help to ease a person's stress.
  
• Boosting self-confidence: Pets can be great listeners, offer unconditional love and won't judge an owner. This can help in self-confidence, especially if one is isolated or misunderstood.
  
• Helping meet new people: Dog owners often stop and chat with each other on walks. But other pets can be a way to meet people too, for example, in pet shops, training classes or online groups.
  
• Adding structure: Having to feed, exercise, and care for a pet can help one keep to a daily routine, making an owner feel more grounded and focused. It can give a person's day purpose and a sense of achievement.

Benefits Of Having Pet

Pets may also help with specific conditions. For example, people with ADHD may benefit from the structure and routine that the animal needs. Managing their pet's responsibilities and keeping track of time, for example, feeding or walking them on time, may help them in other areas of their lives. Some people with ADHD are hyperactive – especially kids - and playing with a pet can be a great way to release excess energy, whether that's walking a dog or running around with a kitten.

Autistic people can also benefit from having a pet, as they provide the kind of unconditional relationship that can help someone build social skills and confidence. They can give a sense of calm and reassurance if their owner feels overwhelmed. Autistic kids with sensory issues can involve their pets in sensory integration activities to help them get used to how something feels against their skin or how it smells or sounds.

Google searches for pet, dog and cat adoption hiked during the early phases of the pandemic. There was a 250 per cent increase in worldwide searches by would-be pet owners during April and May 2020, compared to the same period in 2019.

While the volume of searches by people looking to own a dog has fallen away, the interest in cat adoption is sustained. The reason might be cats are less challenging as owners return to their places of work, the study said.

However, pet ownership is not without ups and downs. Some pet parents reported feeling stressed about their pet's well-being during lockdown, and raised concerns about how they would cope with the loss of their animal during the lockdown. Others worried about the possibility of their animals containing the COVID-19 virus, access to veterinary, and how they would bear the separation once they returned to work.

The financial strains of pet ownership in such a time of uncertainty unsettled some people, too.

Many animals relished the new levels of attention they have been receiving. A joint study by the Universities of York and Lincoln found many pet parents reporting an improvement in their animal's welfare, becoming more playful, affectionate and relaxed, particularly cats.

Studies also suggest that the mental health benefits of pet ownership flow both ways. Owner's mental health appears to have a small beneficial impact on animal welfare and behaviour.

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