The Concerns, Difficulties, and Stressors of Caring for Pets during COVID-19: Results from a Large Survey of U.S. Pet Owners
Abstract
:Simple Summary
Abstract
1. Introduction
1.1. Pets and Human Well-Being during COVID-19
1.2. Pet Relinquishment
1.3. The Current Study
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Data
2.2. Sample Characteristics
2.3. Measures
2.3.1. COVID-19 and Life with Pets: Stressors, Difficulties, and Concerns
2.3.2. Attachment to Pets
2.3.3. Economic Resources
2.3.4. Household Composition
2.4. Analytic Procedures
3. Results
3.1. Qualitative Analysis
3.1.1. Pet-Focused Concerns
3.1.2. Human-Focused Concerns
3.1.3. Household-Focused Concerns
3.2. Quantitative Analysis
Pet Attachment, Economic Resources, and Household Composition
4. Discussion
Limitations
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Group | Pet Concerns 1 | Human Concerns 2 | Household Concerns 3 |
---|---|---|---|
Pet Attachment (n = 1855) | |||
“Yes” group 4 M | 81.0 | 79.6 *** | 80.9 |
“No” group 5 M | 81.7 | 81.9 *** | 81.4 |
Income (n = 1871) | |||
“Yes” group 4 M | USD 60,000–75,000 | USD 60,000–75,000 | USD 50,000–59,000 * |
“No” group 5 M | USD 60,000–75,000 | USD 60,000–75,000 | USD 60,000–75,000 * |
Worried about income loss (n = 2013) | |||
Yes (%) | 39% ** | 37% | 45% *** |
Somewhat (%) | 32% ** | 31% | 31% *** |
No (%) | 29% ** | 32% | 24% *** |
Relationship status (n = 2250) | |||
Married/partnered | 55% ** | 22% *** | 18% |
Single | 63% ** | 29% *** | 20% |
Divorced | 46% ** | 12% *** | 14% |
Separated | 55% ** | 17% *** | 31% |
Widowed | 54% ** | 4% *** | 11% |
Status of caregiver to a child (n = 2244) | |||
Has child | 56% | 21% | 17% |
No child | 55% | 23% | 18% |
Number of other people in the household (n = 2071) | |||
“Yes” group 4 M | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.4 |
“No” group 5 M | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.4 |
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Applebaum, J.W.; Tomlinson, C.A.; Matijczak, A.; McDonald, S.E.; Zsembik, B.A. The Concerns, Difficulties, and Stressors of Caring for Pets during COVID-19: Results from a Large Survey of U.S. Pet Owners. Animals 2020, 10, 1882. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10101882
Applebaum JW, Tomlinson CA, Matijczak A, McDonald SE, Zsembik BA. The Concerns, Difficulties, and Stressors of Caring for Pets during COVID-19: Results from a Large Survey of U.S. Pet Owners. Animals. 2020; 10(10):1882. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10101882
Chicago/Turabian StyleApplebaum, Jennifer W., Camie A. Tomlinson, Angela Matijczak, Shelby E. McDonald, and Barbara A. Zsembik. 2020. "The Concerns, Difficulties, and Stressors of Caring for Pets during COVID-19: Results from a Large Survey of U.S. Pet Owners" Animals 10, no. 10: 1882. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10101882