We are living in uncertain times. To alleviate some of the anxiety, many people – including myself! – are turning to their pets for comfort. (According to NCP data, approximately 48% of panel members own at least one dog, while about 35% own at least one cat.)
Are you getting comfort from your pet during the pandemic? Let us know! Just leave a note in the Comments section near the bottom of the page.
Pets = Comfort
According to a survey from pet care technology company VitusVet, the majority of pet owners surveyed said that pets provided a source of comfort during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In particular, the survey found that …
- 52% said that they are feeling more loved or comforted than usual by their pet
- 39% stated they’re taking more frequent dog walks
- 36% said they’re taking many more photos or videos of their pets
- 22% acknowledged that their pets make regular appearances in video calls with co-workers (I know I’m in that group!)
- 33% are not at all concerned about COVID-19 affecting their pets, with 58% expressing some concern
- 19% reported taking their pet in for a wellness checkup during the outbreak, with 6% seeking emergency care.
In addition, a survey from TD Ameritrade found that 89% of respondents said their dogs and cats help them feel less lonely while they are socially distancing.
Pet Ownership Can Get Expensive
Meanwhile, dog owners spend up to $1,201 a year on average on their pets, according to the TD Ameritrade survey. Food was the largest expense, followed by veterinary care, grooming and other supplies.
Cat owners fork over up to $687 per year on average — about half what dog owners spend. Food, veterinary care and pet supplies rank also rank among their highest expenses.
The TD Ameritrade survey also found that 33% of respondents have considered fostering or adopting a pet during these turbulent times.
Record All Your Pet Food/Supplies Purchases
Whether it’s food or other supplies such as toys, bedding, leashes, supplements, etc., please remember to record the purchases. Companies want to know about who’s buying what type of pet food and pet supply products.
Have a great weekend!
Best Regards,
Taylor
Also see:
- Taking Good Care Of Your Pet’s Nutritional Needs (May 3, 2019)
- Don’t Forget Your Pets This Holiday Season (December 7, 2018)
We have 5 cats and will soon be adding an all white kitten to our home. Our cats range in age of 24 years of age down to 1 year of age. We love them unconditionally, as they love us the same. They do keep us on our toes, however, they seem to know when we need comfort. One of them of particular mention is our “Issy”. We had just lost our kitty “Sissy”, a beautiful siamese, at the Christmas holidays 2020. On the local news we heard of a siamese to give away and called the phone number provided. We had no idea this kitties name was “Issy”. Imagine my shock when the guy gave me her name. It turned out our “Issy” was very sick. She had no way of telling us this, and when she rolled and cried, we thought she was in heat. It turned out, she had a severe bladder infection with sludge in the bladder. Had it not been for her hissing, literally charging at us head first, squalling loudly, rolling, we would not have taken her to the veterinarian and today, she is totally healed, spayed, chipped, all her shots, her weight has picked up, she is a totally loving kitty. This kitty literally had to learn to talk to us, to let us know she was sick. She was a new kitty in the house hold, we had no knowledge of her illness. I remember the veterinarian saying she was cute when she was asleep. They had to sedate her to do surgery to remove the sludge in the bladder also she had IV’s for two hours or more because I was not able to give her any medicine by mouth as she was so disagreeable at the time. Today our “Issy” is one of the best kitties we have and we love her as she loves us. I am not sure how we would have made it through this panademic without our “iSSY”.
I have a chihuahua/miniature Doberman mix and I love her with everything in me. She follows me everywhere I go and if I stay away for a day or two when I go to my sisters house..when I come back she jumps and prances around and as soon as she she’s me going to bed then here she comes and of coarse it’s 30 minutes of nothing but pure loving and it makes my anxiety level lower some. So she sleeps under the cover and then here comes RJ…my girl cat and she sleeps on the blanket I have folded up. The blanket was my best friend Adrienne’s but [she died in] Feb. 2019….and I miss her every day so I sleep with her pink blanket that says Peace and love on it and X’s and O’s. Then as soon as I turn my fan on (yes I have to sleep with a fan on all year round) ad soon as he hears the fan here comes Jaxx my Himalayan big black cat and he sleeps in front of me so he can feel the air from the fan. So that’s all my fur babies and I have a opossum (I call it Possum) that comes up every night around 1am and I feed him and I named him Alkie lol
I have 2 dogs “babies” and they mean everything to me. One is 5 and the other will be 18 next month. I lost both of my parents within 3 months of each other and I truly don’t think I would have made it without my girls. I love spending every minute with my girls. ????????♥️♥️
Yes I have 3 pets , 2 dogs and a cat. 1st is crazysox (bully breed)she is the alpha and the eldest at 6 1/2 years old. But she can be just as feisty as Patch (also pit bull) he is 3 years old and energetic as can be. Finally the is Tig a gray tabby going on a year now. These three keep me company and keep my hand full always. But I wouldn’t have it any other way. Every so often patch plays Houdini and some how get out . talk about handful. Luckily I have wonderful neighbors that have there eyes on the watch out just in case. My babies keep me busy and my mind of. Covid-19 wish is fine with me. They are my Perfect social distancing tools.
I always get comfort from my two Chihuahuas. They are my kids!
My dog is Judi, a MaltiPoo, who is 9 years young now. She is always greeting me whenever I come home—no matter the time, she is waiting for me. There are very special “bonding sessions that we both love to do, but I know her favorite activity is truly chasing cats out of our yard (sorry all you cat fans!). She truly rules around our home and yard, letting us know if someone is at the door, or if there are folks walking on the sidewalk, or overall just protecting our home and yard! She loves her naps and rolling around on the grass., and still has the spunky attitude that she showed when I was adopting her from the Humane Society years ago.
She’s a big white bundle of fur, with so much love to give! I love Judi so much!
I do not know what we would do without our Sasha (dog) or JaqJaq (cat and newest member of our family). They are a delight and we love them so much. They play together fairly well but they keep us on our toes. Heehee ????
Yes I’m finding comfort in my CoCo girl. (She’s a mini pincher dog, but don’t tell her she’s a dog) She thinks she’s no different than anybody. She was already spoiled before the pandemic but now spoiled is not the word. She’s smarter than some people i know.
I’ve had my cat Jasmine for 9 years. She was 1 year old when I rescued her from a shelter. I was drawn by her because I noticed her watching me. I started talking to her and she just stared at me very intensely. I fell in love with her that very day. Although she’s 10 years old she still has a lot of play in her. She’s one of the best buys I ever bought.