Читать книгу Leading with Empathy - Gautham Pallapa - Страница 22

Many pet owners were shocked to hear news reports that a small number of cats and dogs were infected with the COVID-19 virus, probably by being exposed to someone who was COVID-19 positive. There were also other reports of animals being potential carriers of the virus, and some people were reluctant to keep their pets due to the fear of transmission. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a statement⁴¹ stating that there was no evidence that animals play a significant role in spreading SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, to people. They also said that based on the limited information available to date, the risk of animals spreading COVID-19 to people is low.

Despite that initial fear, the number of people adopting more pets during the lockdown also increased. People stuck at home are using pets to endure the challenging time and comfort them. People dealing with mental health problems self-reported that their pets helped improve their mental well-being, and they experienced stronger bonds with them. Also, pet owners reported feeling less lonely than those who didn't own pets. Pets constituted an important source of emotional support and helped people filling the gap created by the lockdown.⁴²