Gaby
Most dog and cat owners say bringing a four-legged friend into their lives was one of the best decisions they’ve ever made. But a new study questions whether pets actually boost owners’ happiness.
What Did the Researchers Discover?
A team of veterinary researchers from Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest studied the short- and long-term effects of acquiring a pet during the COVID pandemic.
The study involved 65 volunteers who adopted pets during the pandemic and 75 people who lost their pets.
Over six months, participants filled out surveys about their well-being and mental health, and veterinarians analyzed the responses from before and after people acquired pets, as well as after they lost a pet.
Judith Mokos, a co-author of the study, said, “What surprised me the most was that the arrival of a new pet did not improve the well-being of lonely respondents.” She found that surprising, since psychologists often see dogs and cats as a remedy for loneliness.
Instead, the research suggested pets don’t solve loneliness. “Rather, they tend to make owners feel more anxious,” Mokos said.
The team says the initial mood boost is usually short-lived, possibly because people often have inflated expectations about life with an animal.
“In the first few months, those expectations combined with the novelty of having a pet can mask problems,” the researchers wrote. “However, as the novelty wears off, unrealistic expectations and the associated challenges can negatively affect the owner’s well-being.”
They also found that getting a cat tended to reduce a person’s activity level, largely because new cat owners spend more time at home.
Another co-author, Enikő Kubinyi, added, “According to our data, many people living with a pet do not become overly attached to it.”
“Perhaps the dynamics of the pandemic led many to make impulsive choices that ran counter to their usual interests. But only certain groups, such as animal lovers or older people living alone, truly benefited from having cats or dogs during stressful times,” she said.
The team published their findings in Scientific Reports. “Our findings challenge the common belief that acquiring a pet leads to long-term improvements in well-being,” they wrote.
One reason for the unexpected results is that the challenges of caring for a pet can outweigh the initial benefits.
The anxiety tied to owning a dog or cat may come from veterinary bills, food costs, travel limitations when you can’t bring the pet, and behavioral problems. And losing a pet is an obvious and significant source of stress for any owner.
Despite these findings, earlier research from the same university showed that many dog owners rate their bond with their pets higher than their relationships with friends, romantic partners, and even their children.
