Among the infinite more or less invisible impacts that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on all of us, there is one that has still been little investigated but which has turned the lives of hundreds of thousands, if not millions of people, upside down. Do you remember when you couldn’t leave the house except for emergencies or to let your dog express himself? Many people decided to adopt one in those years, partly to have an excuse to go out, partly to alleviate loneliness.
Well, a study published on PLOS One reminds us that adopting a dog is not only a joy, but has a cost (financial but also psychological) that must be considered before making such a big decision.
Pandemic experience. The study, conducted by the Canine Science Collaboratory of Arizona State University, involved hundreds of British citizens who adopted a dog during the pandemic: many of these, says the study, were their first experience with a quadruped, and confirmed that they had adopted it for mental health reasons (on the other hand we know that having a dog at home makes us happier).
More effort than expected. Many of the survey participants confirmed that adopting the dog made them happy, but if this result was predictable, it is less so the fact that a third of adopters admitted that the experience turned out to be heavier than they thought, both in terms of work (physical and emotional) and in economic terms. The study reports, among others, the statement of a thirteen-year-old who admitted “I didn’t think having a dog was so difficult”.
The dog is not a toy! There’s also the fact that several studies have shown that adopting a dog doesn’t automatically mean improving your mental health – this positive effect only applies to some of us. The others are unable (or struggle) to manage all the difficulties associated with a pet: regular visits to the vet, equally regular daily outings, the costs of food and various toys… The challenge is particularly tough for those who have adopted a puppy, who still needs to be educated and perhaps hasn’t even learned not to pee in the house.
The advice of the experts, therefore, is to think carefully about how the presence of a dog can turn the life of a family upside down: for example, it is important to immediately divide the tasks clearly, so as to distribute the efforts across the entire family unit.
And it is equally important to consider the time that must be dedicated to the dog, and how much he needs company and hates loneliness. In short: think carefully before adopting a dog, and remember that it is not a toy!
