The COVID-19 pandemic is creating emotional stress and anxiety for humans—but chances are, their furry companions are likely feeling the same way.
Pets could be feeling secondhand anxiety from their owners who are coping with lifestyle changes caused by the pandemic, says Niwako Ogata, an associate professor of veterinary behavior medicine in Purdue University’s College of Veterinary Medicine.
People’s disruption in routines and more time at home can also induce anxiety in animals, especially if they have underlying anxiety issues.
“It’s important to understand that animals are not good at coping with uncertainty in general,” says Ogata, who researches anxiety disorders in pets and sees patients in Purdue’s Animal Behavior Clinic.
“Right now, humans are facing more uncertainty than ever, and our own situations are constantly changing, which can be confusing to our pets. They don’t watch the news or consume information like we do, and they can see is how stressed out we are; it can be very confusing for them.”
During the pandemic, Ogata says anxiety in pets fall into three different areas:
Social tension. With more people working from home, that means pets are getting more attention than ever—which isn’t always a good thing. With more time at home, tension can form between humans and their pets and, in multi-animal households, pets vs. other pets.
“We’re seeing more cases of animals showing aggression because they’re competing for attention or they’re getting too much attention,” she says. “The most important thing to do is to keep to a routine and avoid disrupting that routine. Work in a room away from your pets if it is your office hours and av ..
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