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Cited by 191Human-Animal Interaction StudiesCOVID-19 and Mental HealthAnimal Behavior and Welfare Studies

The Concerns, Difficulties, and Stressors of Caring for Pets during COVID-19: Results from a Large Survey of U.S. Pet Owners

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Applebaum, Jennifer W., Tomlinson, Camie A., Matijczak, Angela, McDonald, Shelby E., Zsembik, Barbara A.·2020·Animals
DOI 10.3390/ani10101882PMC PMC7602525
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Abstract

Pets may be a positive presence for their owners during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. However, it is pertinent to identify the hardships associated with pet ownership. We conducted a large-scale survey of U.S. pet owners (n = 2254) in spring and summer 2020 to assess the ways that relationships with pets impacted life during COVID-19. We used thematic analysis to analyze 3671 open-ended responses to three prompts. Reported concerns fell into three major categories: (1) pet-focused (meeting needs of pets; procuring supplies; accessing veterinary care; new and emerging behavioral issues; fate of the pet if owner becomes ill; general safety and well-being), (2) human-focused (issues with working from home; well-being and mental health; balancing responsibilities), and (3) household-focused (disease spread; economic issues). Quantitative analyses showed that the owner’s strength of attachment to their pet, economic resources, and relationship status were associated with the types of concerns expressed. Results from this study indicate that pet owners experienced unique hardships related to changes in everyday life from the COVID-19 pandemic. These hardships should be considered alongside the potential benefits found in other studies in order to manage pet owner expectations, prevent pet relinquishment, and more fully understand multifaceted human-companion animal relationships.

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  • The COVID-19 pandemic has created a situation globally where companion animals may be at increased risk of relinquishment and abandonment due to multiple interrelated factors.

    “The COVID-19 pandemic has created a situation globally where companion animals may be at increased risk of relinquishment and abandonment due to multiple interrelated factors.”

    From Companion animal adoption and relinquishment during the COVID-19 pandemic: Peri-pandemic pets at greatest risk of relinquishment (2022) · cites this paper as [4]

    The Introduction (§1.2) describes several pandemic-related pressures—including behavioral changes, disrupted pet services, eviction, and financial hardship—that may lead owners to separate from pets. The Conclusions (§5) explicitly warn that these issues could increase relinquishment or abandonment. The paper concerns U.S. pet owners, however, and does not establish that the risk is increased globally. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Many citizens have begun to work at home where pets may interrupt the working day.

    “or have begun to work at home where pets may interrupt the working day (4).”

    From Companion animal adoption and relinquishment during the COVID-19 pandemic: Peri-pandemic pets at greatest risk of relinquishment (2022) · cites this paper as [4]

  • Applebaum et al. (4) found that 7% of participants reported concerns and difficulties related to financial problems and caring for their pets during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    “Similarly, Applebaum et al. (4) distributed an online survey to a convenience sample of 3006 USA pet owners, and found that 7% of participants reported concerns and difficulties related to financial problems and caring for their pets during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

    From Companion animal adoption and relinquishment during the COVID-19 pandemic: Peri-pandemic pets at greatest risk of relinquishment (2022) · cites this paper as Applebaum et al. (4)

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Applebaum, J. W., Tomlinson, C. A., Matijczak, A., McDonald, S. E., & Zsembik, B. A.
Affiliations
  • University of Florida (US)
  • Virginia Commonwealth University (US)
Corresponding author
Applebaum, Jennifer W.
ORCID
Venue
Animals
Publisher
MDPI AG
Published
2020-10-15
Volume
10
Issue
10
Pages
1882
ISSN
2076-2615 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.3390/ani10101882
PMC
PMC7602525
OpenAlex
W3093372992
Cited by
191
References
9
Citations by year
2026: 14 · 2025: 20 · 2024: 29 · 2023: 34 · 2022: 44 · 2021: 50
FWCI
18.76
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Animals (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Human-Animal Interaction Studies
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › COVID-19 and Mental Health
  • Health Sciences › Veterinary › Small Animals › Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies
Keywords
pet ownership, COVID-19 pandemic, pet attachment, veterinary care access, working from home, mental health, economic hardship, disease transmission risk, pet relinquishment, household responsibilities

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