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New study shows the effect owning pets has on owners' brains-Pet ownership increased noticeably during the pandemic
Fox News ^ | 2-24-22 | Michael Hollan

Posted on 03/02/2022 7:06:51 AM PST by SJackson

PhD student Jennifer Applebaum from the Department of Sociology and Criminology at the University of Florida has been examining for several years the effect that pets have on their owners. Her initial findings focused on how people viewed their pets and how laws and policies may not be in line with these views.

Recently, however, her research revealed that having pets may actually help owners stave off memory loss and cognitive decline, WRAL reports. While the effect was most notable with dog and cat owners, pets such as birds, fish and other smaller animals also benefited their owners.

It's believed that interacting with pets can reduce stress levels, along with blood pressure, which may be the cause of the benefits to memory.

Pets also give their owners companionship and a sense of purpose.

Applebaum's research previously revealed, however, that while people feel attached to their pets, laws and regulations still view them as property. This can result in undue stress in certain situations.

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: Outdoors
KEYWORDS: property; propertyrights
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1 posted on 03/02/2022 7:06:51 AM PST by SJackson
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To: SJackson

Pet ownership did increase during the lockdown - and then there was a surge of pets back into the animal shelters.

I have a friend that volunteers in several and said they were flooded with pets turned in right after the lockdown started to end.

Looks like many people rushed to get pets without realizing all the care and love they require.

That and animal food has gotten insanely expensive.


2 posted on 03/02/2022 7:13:08 AM PST by Bon of Babble (Rigged Elections have Consequences)
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To: SJackson

One of the few things that gave me comfort after my mother and husband died in quick succession were my dog and cat, especially my dog.

He got me out of the house when I could barely get up, sat on my lap as I cried and slept at my feet during the long, dark nights.


3 posted on 03/02/2022 7:15:10 AM PST by Bon of Babble (Rigged Elections have Consequences)
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To: SJackson

Be curious to know how many puppy-mills were started as stay-at-home business during that time?


4 posted on 03/02/2022 7:19:55 AM PST by showme_the_Glory (No more rhyming, and I mean it.........)
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To: Bon of Babble

Maybe because they got the pets during the lockdown they didn’t realize that they couldn’t handle them, if dogs, once they were back to work.


5 posted on 03/02/2022 7:23:56 AM PST by 9YearLurker
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To: Bon of Babble
That and animal food has gotten insanely expensive.

Brandon did that, just another of his many accomplishments.

6 posted on 03/02/2022 7:25:42 AM PST by 1Old Pro
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To: SJackson

My wife owns the local Pet Center and veterinary clinic - Grooming service, pet food and supplies etc.

Business has been booming! The local shelters have been cleared out. Not even a stray cat left.


7 posted on 03/02/2022 7:26:25 AM PST by Chuckster (Friends don't let friends eat farmed fish)
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To: Bon of Babble

I was a dog owner during the Pandemic. My life did not change a bit. I was out at the dog park 3 times a day. The Love of my life, Sammie passed 8/7/2021.

What has moved my desire to own a dog and love a dog and give them a happy home and life is anytime I went to the VET it was 150 dollars, to just walk in the office.

Veterinarians NOW have a Mutli-Billion dollar industry, it is utterly ridiculous. Why did my Sammie live to be 20 Yrs old? I home cooked for him. He did very well for a long time, then at the end of their life when they need more care, I just could not afford all the doctor bills. I ran up credit cards.

The worst part is paying 200 or 300 dollars and getting absolutely no answers. It happens more and more often because Obviously most of my friends are dog people. It makes me cry, pet owners are being taken advantage of big time.


8 posted on 03/02/2022 7:26:29 AM PST by ThereisnotanILGOP
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To: Bon of Babble

That is part of it. The other is many of those puppies/dogs adopted failed to get proper training at key development periods.

Now, two years on down the road, trainers call them pandemic puppies. High anxiety dogs because that was the environment they experienced early on. Lack of socialization, reactionary dogs, overprotective to dangerous levels. Many needing to be put on anxiety medication such that rehabilitation and training can take place. Dog trainers themselves are running on compassion fatigue for owners of such pets.

In closed pet care forums reading of experienced professional dog walkers struggling with these dogs on all sorts of levels.

These are the dogs often being surrendered. Many want to blame the owners, but it is a side-effect of the pandemic lock-downs.

The problem is while the dogs helped people cope, the human anxiety hurt the dog.


9 posted on 03/02/2022 7:30:06 AM PST by EBH (Hold My Beer. 1776-2021 May God Save Us.)
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To: SJackson

I wasn’t in great shape a few years ago. So I came up with a plan and defined specific goals of things to do and occupy my time.

One item on the list was get one of the most demanding and active dogs possible, so I found and brought home a doberman puppy. A year after that, the virus showed up.

I can say with 100% certainty that dog not only got me though the lock down nonsense, but kept me active enough I just didn’t totally shut down.


10 posted on 03/02/2022 7:44:42 AM PST by Nifty
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To: SJackson

11 posted on 03/02/2022 7:51:05 AM PST by Scarlett156 (Vaping is for homosexuals. )
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To: SJackson

12 posted on 03/02/2022 7:51:21 AM PST by chief lee runamok (Anti-Socialist Derelict at Large)
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To: SJackson

Good conversation with another person would do the same thing, only more pronounced.


13 posted on 03/02/2022 7:55:14 AM PST by GingisK
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To: 9YearLurker
People should start with low maintenance pets and work up from there. Guinea pigs are wonderful, interactive pets that don't require a lot of maintenance. Birds can be as well.

My daughter's family has birds and a shiba dog, perfect for an active family of two young boys. We have her cat which came to us when her company transferred her to Japan.

Cats are perfect for an older couple-- sleeps most of the day, patrols for and exterminates mice during the wee hours and cuddles up with us on the couch and purrs when we are having our together time.

Also has the sense to go somewhere else if the together time gets too steamy, if you catch my drift . . .

14 posted on 03/02/2022 8:02:36 AM PST by Vigilanteman (The politicized state destroys aspects of civil society, human kindness and private charity.)
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To: ThereisnotanILGOP

You need another dog, though maybe one a little smaller-go to the pound and pick up an ‘economy’ variety.

Consider that it’s one more dog you’ll have with you in heaven.


15 posted on 03/02/2022 8:04:14 AM PST by tsomer
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To: SJackson

“laws and regulations still view them as property”

Pets are property and nobody is stressed by that...except Marxists.


16 posted on 03/02/2022 8:15:35 AM PST by Varda
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To: SJackson

Apparently Jennifer doesnt know what a FARM is.... duhhhhh


17 posted on 03/02/2022 8:45:11 AM PST by bunkerhill7 (That`s 464 people per square foot! Is this corrrect..it was NYC.)
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To: SJackson

I love my four legged friends. Not so much the two legged ones.


18 posted on 03/02/2022 8:50:44 AM PST by bgill (Which came first, the vax or the virus?)
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To: Vigilanteman

The top of the pet adoption skill and resources pyramid, short of a pony, is a puppy—and lots of people try to start out there.


19 posted on 03/02/2022 9:00:17 AM PST by 9YearLurker
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To: SJackson

They are property. They should always be viewed as property.


20 posted on 03/02/2022 9:59:37 AM PST by piasa (Attitude adjustments offered here free of charge)
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