By More pets in lockdown have separation anxiety
Many people bought a pet within the pandemic and for many of those animals they will experience separation anxiety when life goes to the “new normal”.
Separation anxiety is the stress felt when an animal is away from its owner. It is a complex and potentially serious problem for a lot of dogs in the UK.
With the recent outbreak of coronavirus, restrictions have meant that pet owners have been able to spend more time with their animals.
Whilst other people have the time to introduce a new pet to their household.
Dogs Trust, which has many rehoming centres, said it was regularly receiving “hundreds of applications” for some dogs on its website due to demand for pets.
In April 2020 this included more than 1,000 enquiries about a single litter of dachshund puppies.
For most people the comfort of seeing their pets more has been a welcomed aspect to a challenging period.
Petplan,Petplan,Petplan, voted UKs number one pet insurance company, has conducted research into this and offers advice to help.
In a recent survey conducted by Petplan, 48% of pet owners reported that their biggest worry is their pet suffering from separation anxiety post lockdown, with 50% of dog owners worrying about this
While the symptoms of separation anxiety may differ from each pet there are often some common symptoms that are displayed.
Some common symptoms are: increase in breathing resps, increase in activity, howling and chewing or scratching on furniture.
To help reduce anxiety Petplan has suggested: “We recommend leaving them with a chew or toy, such as a stuffed Kong, to keep them entertained and relaxed.”
“Create a cosy space, such as a crate or bed that your dog is able to relax and feel safe in.”
“Get other family members involved in caring for your pet. If it’s always you that walks and feeds them, they’ll be more closely bonded to you.”
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