Have you ever played a game of “Would You Rather?” You ask someone if they would rather do one thing or the other, typically posed between two impossible choices. Would you rather always have dry eyes or always have a runny nose? Stuff like that. A recent survey of pet parents presented a quarantine question, and more people then you may think had no trouble at all with their choice.
Survey Says! Pets Over Partners
Freshpet is a commercial pet brand that sells packaged pet foods that are stored in a special fridge section at most major pet retailers. They conducted a survey of pet parents regarding a hypothetical second quarantine period.
One of the questions they asked was, “If you had to choose one companion to stay home with during a second lockdown, who would you choose?” Survey says? 44% of women chose their “cat or dog” compared to 47% of men who chose “significant other.”
Another Finding: Pets Make Quarantine More Enjoyable
The FreshPet survey also asked respondents if spending time with pets made quarantine more enjoyable. Of course, a whopping 80% responded yes! Interestingly, those people chose pets as the most enjoyable aspect of quarantine over online shopping and spending time with their significant other. Pets for the win once again!
Guilty Feelings Over Going Back to Work
Getting back to a new normal is going to be an adjustment for all of us. Many pet parents are expressing apprehension about going back to work outside of the house and leaving their pets at home. The FreshPet survey reported that 55% of pet parents feel guilt about this eventual necessity.
Want to know what you can do to prepare your dog for your return to work? Read our post about easing the transition!
Your dog is going to be unsure when you suddenly start leaving home for 8 or more hours a day. They’ve gotten very comfortable with you being close at hand. The transition will need to be handled carefully to keep your dog free from stress and anxiety. “We’re part of their pack, so when someone is missing, pets feel like the pack is not as strong and safe as it can be,” said Dr. Gerardo Perez-Camargo, DVM, VP of Research and Development at Freshpet. “We need to realize when we return to the office, pets don’t know how long we’ll be away for — or even if we’ll come back.”
We all want life to return to normal, whatever that looks like. In the meantime, get as many quarantine snuggle sessions in as you can!
H/T cbsaustin.com
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via Whisker Therapy