According to a recent study, dog owners were less depressed or anxious during the Covid-19 epidemic, especially during confinement, thanks to their pet.
- Having a pet has improved the mental health of their masters during confinement
- According to the SPA, 38,000 animals were adopted in France in 2020
38,000. This is the number of animals that were adopted in 2020, according to the Association for the Protection of Animals (SPA). During the first confinement, many French people adopted a dog or a cat to have company, to have a reason to go out (!), but also to benefit from the benefits they have on human beings. These animals reduce stress, maintain social ties and calm us down. According to a study published in the journal PLOS One December 15dogs have improved the mental health of their owners during the Covid-19 epidemic, especially during confinements.
To reach this conclusion, American researchers conducted their research with 1,535 people in the United States, half of whom had a dog. Participants answered an online questionnaire. The latter included questions about feelings of happiness, anxiety, depression, commitment and attitude with a pet.
The benefits of a dog on mental health
Dog owners said they had significantly more moral and social support than people who did not own a dog during the pandemic. “Rates of depression were also lower, compared to participants without dogs,” can we read in the results of the study. On the other hand, the levels of anxiety and happiness were similar for the two groups.
Dog owners had a more positive attitude towards pets. “Walking your dog during confinement would have alleviated stress factors”said the team of Dr François Martin, author of the work.
“Our results suggest that owning a dog may have given people a stronger sense of moral and social support, which may have helped to alleviate some of the psychological impacts caused by the pandemic,” concluded the researchers.
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