Toilet paper, hand sanitiser and flour were just a few of the prime purchases of the pandemic, with supermarket shelves emptied of essential items for weeks. However, there is an unseen side of lockdown purchases, the ramifications of which will present themselves fully in the next few months as lockdown comes to an end: household pets. Although pets will undoubtedly have had some positive impacts during the pandemic, there are many hidden consequences which many people will be unaware of.

It is estimated that 3.2 million homes in the UK bought a new pet during the pandemic, with the majority of new owners aged between 16 and 34. It is likely that the biggest reason for this surge is owing to the loneliness caused by the UK lockdown, particularly before the rule was introduced which allowed a single person household to ‘bubble’ with another household. There are certainly positive aspects of owning pets, and they have been proven to improve mental health. Not only can they combat loneliness, but they can also encourage exercise as well as promoting routine for the owners.

However, there will be unforeseen consequences to buying a pet during the pandemic which many pet owners may be unprepared for. For new puppies, or other pets who rely on human interaction, having begun their lives in a lockdown environment may have left them with attachment issues. This means that they will likely experience anxiety when their owners begin to go back to work full time, and this can be highly distressing for the animal. In addition to this, if animals have not been adequately socialised in the first few months, they may not be equipped to deal with other people or animals. This may cause animals such as dogs to either become anxious, or to become overly protective of their owners, and both of these scenarios may lead to a dog who shows aggressive behaviour towards other dogs or people.

As well as this, some owners may not have considered the impacts of having a pet on day-to-day life, particularly if they work long hours, travel a lot, or tend to be absent from the house for long periods of time for any other reason. Either this will lead to a large proportion of pets who are neglected at home, or alternatively, we may see a large increase in the number of pets who are given up after lockdown. This will only place more pressure on already struggling animal shelters such as the RSPCA, whose centres took in over 10,000 dogs in 2019. Not only will this increase be very difficult for shelters and charities to handle, but they are likely backlogged with animals from the past year, as the adoption of rescue animals has been prevented throughout much of the pandemic owing to an inability for workers to conduct home visits and properly examine potential owners.

Perhaps even worse than the consequences which are likely to follow the huge increase in pet ownership in the next few months are the consequences which are already being seen now. The spike in the pet market has led to an increase in prices, especially for puppies. In September 2020, the BBC estimated that the average price of a puppy had more than doubled, with the most popular breeds being sold for over £3000. This in turn has led to an rise in dog thefts across the country in the last few months, which have increased 170% since 2019. These include dogs who have been snatched whilst on walks, as well as those who have been targeted through household break-ins. This is creating a fearful environment for pet owners, many of whom are becoming more reluctant to walk their dogs alone, or in new areas, owing to the risk of theft.

It is clear that the rise in pet ownership throughout the pandemic is something which, on the surface, can seem positive, but in fact has many hidden problems and ramifications which have likely not been considered by new owners. Whilst I advocate for owning a pet as I wholeheartedly believe that it can have an incredibly positive impact on loneliness and mental health, prospective owners need to research the impacts of a pet thoroughly, and should certainly consider rescuing or adopting if it is possible in their situation. As the saying goes: a dog is for life, not just for lockdown.

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