Guest Opinion: Pasadena Humane CEO: Pet Pals Can Ease Pandemic Stress

The pandemic has taken a huge toll on our collective mental health. Feelings of anxiety and grief are compounded when we process them in isolation. For many of us at Pasadena Humane, the company of animals has been instrumental in our ability to cope.

We are not the only ones who have found comfort in our four-legged friends. Pet owners also know the joy that comes from sharing their lives with a furry companion. However, until recently, many did not realize how good pets are for their mental health.

Pasadena Humane recently sent out a survey asking our community members what the quarantine looked and felt like for them, and how pets have helped them through this crisis.

One respondent wrote, “It feels endless, isolating and sometimes overwhelming.” Others reported feelings of loneliness, anger, fear, and sadness over the loss of freedom. In addition to stresses over loss of employment and financial insecurity, parents also expressed concerns about their children’s mental health.

The longer the pandemic drags on, the harder it gets to cope.

Unsurprisingly, pets have been a bright spot and source of comfort for many, according to our survey.

For one single mother of two boys, the family’s shepherd mix, Scout, has been “the star of the house” during the pandemic. She wrote, “Scout made us laugh and cuddled with each of us. She wanted to play ball and keep us on our feet. When she realized there was friction or frustration, she would paw at you to distract you from the stress. Without her I’m not sure how we could have survived. My sons were ill. Scout helped pull them through and gave me the love I needed to stay strong for them.”

Long before the CDC started educating people on how to keep safe during the current pandemic, the CDC was advising of the potential health benefits of pets, which include lower blood pressure and decreased feelings of loneliness. Having a dog has been associated with decreased probability of childhood anxiety. Pets also offer people increased opportunities for exercise, outdoor activities and socialization.

The research is clear, as is anecdotal evidence, that pets enrich our lives and help keep us healthy and happy. Shelters all over the country, including Pasadena Humane, have seen a dramatic increase in the number of people wanting to adopt or foster pets.

As the pandemic continues with no end in sight, members of our community will continue to experience difficult times. Knowing the mutual benefit for both people and pets, we at Pasadena Humane are making every effort to place homeless animals with loving families, through appointment-based, socially distanced adoption practices.

In addition to helping families adopt a pet, we are providing services to help keep pets with their families. We would never want to see a pet separated from their family due to financial hardship. Our pet food bank and other support services are growing to meet the increasing demand.

Prior to working in animal welfare, I worked for many years as a mental health social worker. The animal welfare community is seeing the need to embrace social work and case management practices to truly meet the needs of animals in our community and the people who love them.

Pasadena Humane will continue to stay on the forefront of best practices to support the human-animal bond. We know that 2020 has not been an easy year, and we also know that our pets can offer us improved mental health — now when we need it the most.