P.For many owners, especially those who have chosen to adopt a dog or cat during the pandemic, the return to “normal” life does not seem to be compatible with the care of pets: today 16% of owners regret the choice; 9% are no longer able to take care of the animal and 12% entrust it to a pet-sitter. In short, you made a poorly thought-out choice.
This is the result of a survey carried out by YouGov and commissioned by Readly, the app for subscribing to digital magazines and newspapers that had seen, during the pandemic, a growing enthusiasm for magazines dedicated to pets (47 are available on the app, 11 of which are Italian). But, lately, something has changed.
Adopting a dog or cat to feel less alone
For 35% of the respondents, the pandemic was the deciding factor for adoption. In fact, 39% said they had searched for u’s companyn pet to relieve loneliness in that time; 37% because they thought that spending more time at home or working from home would make it easier for them to manage their four-legged friend. 29% decided to dedicate themselves to the care of a pet to escape from everyday worries, while one in four Italians (25%) thought of alleviating the anxiety of the pandemic period with a puppy at home.
In fact, the majority of owners (80%) reported taking care of their pet for a daily time ranging from 2 to 4 hours; 12% even dedicate to four-legged friends over 7 hours a day.
Not just cats and dogs
In detail, 43% of Italians who have taken in a pet in the last two years have chosen a dog; 39% a cat. But the choices also fell on less demanding animals, such as fish (12%), birds (10%), hamsters and guinea pigs or rabbits (6%), reptiles (4%).
Adopting a dog or cat in a conscious way
As many as 92% of the new owners regretted not having documented enough before welcoming the pet. More than a quarter of them would have liked to know more about the animal’s nutrition or psychology (22%), about the breed (14%), and, more generally, about the commitment that taking care of the same animal would entail. (17%).
“Animals are too often received superficially,” observes Prof. Dr. Thomas Richter, of Federation of Veterinarians of Europe. “The management of a pet should instead be well thought out, well studied and planned in the long term.” Evaluating well “the resources and the type of dog to welcome in the family is essential to find yourself repentant of the choice”, he also explains Nadia Sampaolesi, president of Apnec (National professional association of dog educators): here her advice for responsible adoption. Families with children or elderly people alone, separated couples or people always on the move, the rules for not repenting are quite clear-cut.
The new owners of pets, those who are in crisis today, have turned to pet shops for advice (47%), or have searched for information on the web (43%). A third (33%) relied on the experience of friends and family, 26% relied on social networks. On the other hand, 12% looked for information in specialized journals. It takes a little more effort.
iO Donna © REPRODUCTION RESERVED