Shaima Ahmed Farouk
Posted on: Sunday 4 October 2020 – 10:55 AM | Last update: Sunday 4 October 2020 – 10:55 am
On October 4 of each year, World Animal Day is celebrated, and the day was first celebrated in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Czechoslovakia, but in May 1931, at the meeting of the International Conference on Animal Protection in Florence, Italy, the day was officially determined.
Owning a pet is seen as something that helps alleviate some of these problems related to the psychological state of humans, especially during the Corona virus pandemic, and a new study, by Elena Rachin from the Department of Health Sciences at York University in the United Kingdom, examined this issue and also provided some data about it.
The new research looked at whether pet ownership prevents some negative changes in the state of mental health during the lockdown periods caused by the Corona virus, in addition to the type and impact of the animal itself, according to the “Psychology Today” website.
This study included a survey of 5,926 residents of the United Kingdom over the age of 18 years, during the lockdown that lasted from March 23 to June 1, 2020, 70% of the participants owned dogs and 44% owned cats.
With the exception of a few horse owners, followed by cats, dogs had the most affection, the study found, and the association with small mammals, birds, fish and reptiles was much less.
The vast majority of pet owners considered their pets to be a source of great social support. Compared to those without animals, animal owners showed slight decreases in psychological state during the lockdown period, as well as fewer increases in feelings of loneliness during the imposed period of social isolation, and this indicates That pet ownership provides a potentially beneficial defense against the effects of isolation-related psychological stress.
However, the research indicated that owning pets also caused some anxiety for their owners. 68% reported that they were concerned because the lockdown might restrict their access to veterinary services, 41% were concerned about caring for their pet if they were injured, and 18% worried about getting pet food. It became more difficult.
The research confirmed, that this does not negate the fact that the participants expressed psychological support for their pet in dealing with the situation imposed by the Corona epidemic, by 91% for dog breeders, and 89% for cat breeders, which confirms the results of previous research that dogs are more emotionally attached than cats.
The study also examined the effect of the type of pet a person owns during the lockdown on their fitness. 96% of dog owners support this phrase, while only 32% of cat owners agree with them.
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