Challenges of animal ownership during the pandemic should be considered

Challenges of animal ownership during the pandemic should be considered alongside the potential benefits

2021-02-09

(Press-News.org) Animal owners frequently report concerns and worries relating to caring for their animal during the pandemic, new research suggests. The study, by the University of York, also revealed owners had increased their appreciation of their animals during the first lockdown phase. The notion that people "could not live without" their animals and that they were a "godsend" or a "lifeline" in the pandemic was frequently expressed. The study has been investigating the role of animals as sources of emotional and physical support during the pandemic. More than 40 per cent of UK households are estimated to own at least one animal. There was consensus among participants that companion animals constituted a reliable source of support, providing unconditional love, affection and companionship. Animals were frequently perceived as being able to enhance mood, reduce stress, and help people to cope generally with the COVID-19 lockdown phase. However, the study also showed that animal ownership may result in significant concerns that might have outweighed the benefits in some cases. Dr Elena Ratschen from the Department of Health Sciences said: "The findings complement and extend previous insights into the impact of human-animal interaction with both companion and non-companion animals". Dr Emily Shoesmith also from the Department of Health Sciences added: "What was interesting was many owners perceived their animal as helping them cope with the first lockdown phase, offering an important source of emotional support. However, concerns and worries relating to caring for their animal during this time were frequently reported and were likely to have exacerbated feelings of stress for the owner". Nearly 6,000 people across the UK took part in the research which asked participants a series of questions during the first lockdown, including outcomes related to mental health, wellbeing and loneliness; the human-animal bond and human-animal interactions. The final item of the survey invited free-text responses, allowing participants to describe any experiences of their human-animal relationships during the first lockdown phase. Four main themes were identified, including: the positive impact of animal ownership during the Covid-19 lockdown phase, concerns relating to animal ownership, grief and loss of an animal during the Covid-19 lockdown, and the impact of engaging with non-companion animals. Some participants said that their animals helped them cope with mental health conditions. One respondent said her dog helped "keep my anxiety levels down by talking to her when I'm out and breaking my focus on anything negative. I am terrified of catching COVID-19 but having the dog keeps me mentally and physically better in the current environment." Another respondent described how different animal species provided emotional support in different ways: "All my animals have helped keep me motivated, calm and happy during this time, not just the one I am closest to. Different species have different qualities: the dog is a close companion, but reptiles are interesting and calming to watch and guinea pigs are entertaining. General pet care tasks give purpose and structure to my day." Other people reported that their animals were able to provide unique emotional support as a result of their ability to respond to their owners in an intuitive manner, especially in times of distress. One participant said: "My whippet has really picked up on this, he stays by my side constantly and feeds and mirrors my emotions. He is hyper vigilant to my needs giving lots of attention and affection." Many participants also commented that animal ownership encouraged and promoted physical activity, especially for owners of dogs and horses. One respondent said "My dogs means I go out every day for exercise. Without them, I don't think I'd go out at all during this time." However, a number of participants expressed that despite the bond with their animal, this was not a replacement for human social contact, that had been considerably restricted during the lockdown phase. One person said: "My dogs and cats are not a replacement for human contact, which I am sorely missing. But they have been a welcome distraction and have given me something to focus on and stopped me from feeling so lonely." Negative aspects to animal ownership during lockdown were also described by a number of participants. Owners expressed they were often worried or concerned about various elements of ownership, including the possibility of animals carrying the Covid-19 virus, access to veterinary care, caring for their animals, and concerns about their animal experiencing separation-related problems upon their return to work. It was apparent that these concerns often exacerbated stress in participants due to the responsibilities and potential additional financial cost of animal ownership. Arranging alternative care for an animal whilst the owner was working outside of the home was often cited as a concern of animal ownership. Many people, primarily dog owners, noted that animal care that was readily available prior to lockdown had since been restricted, and this had resulted in feelings of anxiety. Some participants suggested that it would be beneficial for animal care to be easily accessible for key workers in the context of increased working hours. Due to financial uncertainty, participants expressed their concern over buying pet food and other necessities or worried about being able to provide healthcare if required and maintaining their animal's insurance. One respondent said "I worry for their health and wellbeing during these times, with the concern over financial difficulties if work becomes scarcer. They are important members of our family." There was also a general sense that interactions with wildlife and frequent contact with nature had a positive impact on mental health. Some participants suggested that seeing an animal in their natural environment provided opportunities for distraction from their inner feelings of distress due to the pandemic.

INFORMATION:

The study, "The Influence of Human-Animal Interactions on Mental and Physical Health during the First COVID-19 Lockdown Phase in the U.K.: A Qualitative Exploration," is published in The International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Inhibition of the BAF complex causes rapid loss of DNA accessibility

2021-02-09

When human cells have to adapt due to a wide variety of external influences, the BAF complex plays a central role because it controls the accessibility of the DNA and thus the information stored in it. In every fifth human cancer, a mutation is found in one of the BAF complex genes. Scientists from the research group of Principal Investigator Stefan Kubicek at the CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences have investigated this complex in more detail using novel techniques and were able to show how quickly changes in the BAF complex genes influence the accessibility of DNA. The study has now been published in Nature Genetics. Chromatin is a central component of the cell nucleus and refers to the material that ...

Physicists finesse the storing of light to create rainbows of colour

2021-02-09

In nature, as in everyday life, we are surrounded by resonance - the phenomenon that describes how each object has a frequency that it prefers to vibrate at. The note of a guitar string and the sound of Big Ben chiming are examples of resonance. Vibrations near resonance cause strong impacts. Bridges collapse if soldiers march in unison; a kid can 'push' themselves on a swing by moving their legs at the correct rate, and two pendulum clocks on the same table will synchronise. These examples show the enhanced sensitivity given to an object when it is provided with energy at a specific (that is, resonant) frequency. It's no wonder then that physicists and engineers are always looking for ways to use ...

Quantum causal loops

2021-02-09

Causal reasoning is ubiquitous - from physics to medicine, economics and social sciences, as well as in everyday life. Whenever we press the button, the bell rings, and we think that the pressing of the button causes the bell to ring. Normally, causal influence is assumed to only go one way - from cause to effect - and never back from the effect to the cause: the ringing of the bell does not cause the pressing of the button that triggered it. Now researchers from the University of Oxford and the Université libre de Bruxelles have developed a theory of causality in quantum theory, according to which cause-effect relations can sometimes form cycles. This theory offers a novel understanding of exotic processes in which events do not have a definite causal ...

Home office: Majority supports the new regulation

2021-02-09

"86 percent of the respondents rate the home office regulation as appropriate," says BfR-President Professor Dr. Dr. Andreas Hensel. "This illustrates that people also accept changes in their everyday occupational life in order to contain the coronavirus." https://www.bfr.bund.de/cm/349/210119-bfr-corona-monitor-en.pdf Day-care centres and schools are still closed except for emergency care. However, this measure is judged as appropriate by a decreasing number of respondents: Since the beginning of the year, approval has dropped by 10 percentage points from 67 percent to now 57 percent. A similar development can be seen in the acceptance of the closure ...

Ecological interactions as a driver of evolution

2021-02-09

Understanding the interaction of organisms in the evolution of species is an important topic in ecology. Insects and plants, for example, are two large groups on earth that are linked by a variety of interactions. Since the mid-20th century, theories linking this diversity and specific interactions have proliferated. The development of new technologies and new methods has made it possible to study the interaction between plants and insects in greater detail and to reveal the impact of these interactions on their respective evolution. In a new study, an international team of researchers, including botanist Prof. Stefan Wanke of TU Dresden, has established the link between ecological changes, ...

Small and medium-sized firms use social media to reach and persuade new customers

2021-02-09

During the COVID-19 pandemic, small and medium-sized firms (SME) have become increasingly dependent on social media as a tool for their international sales process, according to a recent study published in International Business Review. Digital communication tools seem to be most prevalent in finding and reaching new prospects and in the persuasion phase, whereas more traditional communication tools still prevail in customer relationship management. "During the COVID-19 outbreak, small and medium sized firms have become more reliant on social media tools to reach internationally dispersed prospects and customers. Such use has helped them to overcome limitations set to face-to-face interaction by ...

Key metaphors in the most popular love songs speak of proximity and possession

2021-02-09

In both life and music, the secret to success is love. This universal emotion stands out as the key protagonist in the most listened-to songs of all time. According to a study by Salvador Climent Roca and Marta Coll-Florit from the GRIAL applied linguistics research group (tied to the UOC Faculty of Arts and Humanities), love is central to 52 of the 71 songs that topped the Billboard magazine's year-end charts from 1946 to 2016. "Pop music is created to achieve commercial success, and evocations of feelings of love and unrequited love are powerfully attractive for all types of audiences," said the authors. Their analysis, published in open access in ...

Children's finger length points to mothers' income level

2021-02-09

Low-income mothers feminize their children in the womb by adjusting their hormones, whereas high-income mothers masculinize their children, a major study based on finger length, led by a Swansea University expert, has found. The phenomenon is an unconscious evolutionary response aimed at boosting their offspring's chances of successful reproduction. It helps, in part, explain associations between low income, low levels of testosterone before birth, and major causes of mortality such as cardiovascular disease. The study was based on the relationship between the length of a person's index and ring fingers, known as the 2D:4D ratio. A longer ring finger is a marker of higher levels of testosterone, whereas ...

Arctic permafrost releases more CO2 than once believed

2021-02-09

Rising global temperatures are causing frozen Arctic soil-- permafrost--in the northern hemisphere to thaw and release CO2 that has been stored within it for thousands of years. The amount of carbon stored in permafrost is estimated to be four times greater than the combined amount of CO2 emitted by modern humans. Research results from an international team, which includes a researcher from the University of Copenhagen among others, suggests that the newly discovered phenomenon will release even larger quantities of CO2 than once supposed from organic matter in permafrost--a pool of carbon previously thought to be bound tightly and safely sequestered by iron. The amount of stored carbon that is bound to iron and gets converted ...

How accurate are first impressions on a first date?

2021-02-09

The high stakes of first dates require would-be partners to make and interpret first impressions. But, can we rely on these first impressions to accurately assess someone's personality? According to researchers from McGill University, the answer is yes, although it may be more difficult than in more casual settings. Forming an accurate impression of an individual on a first date is important because people often rely on these impressions in deciding whether to pursue a romantic relationship. While previous studies have shown that people can form accurate impressions of new acquaintances in platonic settings - like casual conversations with new classmates - the researchers wanted to find out if the ...

Challenges of animal ownership during the pandemic should be considered

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES: