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Cited by 33Human-Animal Interaction StudiesAnimal Behavior and Welfare StudiesCOVID-19 and Mental Health

Pet Keeping in the Time of COVID-19: The Canine and Feline Companions of Young Children

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Jalongo, Mary Renck·2023·Early Childhood Education Journal
DOI 10.1007/s10643-021-01251-9PMC PMC8372227
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Abstract

Amid COVID-19, children's interactions with pet animals in the household were at times strengthened, strained, or established anew. Extensive periods of confinement made the home environment not only the site for most family activities but also the hub for children's school and many adults' work. Research on the role of pets during the pandemic has consisted primarily of online surveys with the general finding that sweeping changes to daily living had major consequences for the dynamics between pets and people. This article addresses issues related to young children and pet keeping within the context of the recent world health crisis and the resultant lockdowns. First, it describes how the definition of a pet has changed. It then examines children's attachments to dogs and cats, the two species most frequently chosen as pets for young children worldwide. Next, it highlights the potential risks and rewards of children cohabitating with cats and dogs at a time when many families were sequestered in homes. The article concludes with a discussion of the limitations and contributions of research on pet keeping during COVID-19 and suggests appropriate next steps that take into consideration the welfare of young children and their companion animals.

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Jalongo, M. R.
Affiliations
Indiana University of Pennsylvania (US)
Corresponding author
Jalongo, Mary Renck
ORCID
Jalongo, Mary Renck
Venue
Early Childhood Education Journal
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2021-08-18
Volume
51
Issue
6
Pages
1067-1077
ISSN
  • 1082-3301 (ISSN-L)
  • 1573-1707
DOI
10.1007/s10643-021-01251-9
PMC
PMC8372227
OpenAlex
W3195107565
Cited by
33
References
8
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 1
FWCI
1.03
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Early Childhood Education Journal (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Human-Animal Interaction Studies
  • Health Sciences › Veterinary › Small Animals › Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › COVID-19 and Mental Health
Keywords
pet ownership, COVID-19 pandemic, lockdown, young children, human-animal relations, dogs, cats, companion animals, child welfare

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