College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Honorary Research Affiliate, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Issues Ment Health Nurs. 2021 Aug;42(8):741-746. doi: 10.1080/01612840.2020.1843096. Epub 2020 Nov 16.
Pet ownership provides a unique relationship that is beneficial to many aspects of the pet owner's life, including mental health and companionship. Mental health and social isolation are negatively impacted by homelessness, increasing the importance of the owner-pet bond during this time. However, this relationship is complicated by the need for pet owners to urgently find accommodation for themselves while still caring for their pets. This paper explores two firsthand narratives of the relationship between a person and their pets during a period of homelessness and subsequent search for accommodation. Both narratives highlight important aspects of the emotional bond between owner and pet: the concept of choosing pet over place; improved mental health and changed behaviours; and stressors or negative emotions of parental concern, separation anxiety and grief. These narratives emphasise the importance of supporting, expanding and creating new pet-friendly crisis and permanent accommodation options for pet owners experiencing homelessness.
养宠物可以建立一种独特的关系，对宠物主人生活的许多方面都有益处，包括心理健康和陪伴。无家可归会对心理健康和社会隔离产生负面影响，因此在这段时间里，主人和宠物之间的联系更加重要。然而，由于宠物主人需要紧急为自己找到住所，同时还要照顾他们的宠物，这种关系变得复杂起来。本文探讨了两个人在无家可归期间及其后寻找住所期间与宠物关系的第一手叙述。这两个叙述都强调了主人和宠物之间情感联系的重要方面：选择宠物而不是住所的概念；改善心理健康和行为改变；以及父母关心、分离焦虑和悲伤等压力或负面情绪。这些叙述强调了为无家可归的宠物主人提供支持、扩大和创造新的宠物友好型危机和永久住宿选择的重要性。
