Bir Courtney, Pasteur Kayla, Widmar Nicole, Croney Candace
Department of Agricultural Economics, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States of America.
Department of Comparative Pathobiology, Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America.
PLoS One. 2025 Jul 2;20(7):e0325075. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0325075. eCollection 2025.
The COVID-19 pandemic presented a host of unique challenges for individuals worldwide, particularly for pet owners, due to widespread shutdowns, social distancing, and financial stress. While pet acquisition increased during this time, the impact on veterinary care access and pet ownership trends remain underexplored. Within the online survey of 751 US residents 79% were pet owners (n = 596). Twenty percent of all pet owners reported difficulty accessing basic veterinary care, such as vaccinations or annual exams. Logit models revealed that having children and working from home increased the likelihood of acquiring a pet during the pandemic. Additionally, owning a pet acquired during the pandemic and managing pets with behavioral issues were associated with greater challenges in accessing veterinary care. These findings highlight unique circumstances during COVID-19 related to pet acquisition and veterinary care, which may be expanded to other situations. A better understanding of these difficulties is essential to develop solutions that protect animal welfare and support the human-animal bond, particularly in times of crisis.
由于广泛的封锁、社交距离措施和经济压力，新冠疫情给全球各地的个人带来了一系列独特挑战，尤其是对宠物主人而言。虽然在此期间宠物领养数量有所增加，但对获得兽医护理的影响以及宠物饲养趋势仍未得到充分研究。在对751名美国居民进行的在线调查中，79%是宠物主人（n = 596）。所有宠物主人中有20%报告在获得基本兽医护理方面存在困难，如接种疫苗或年度体检。逻辑回归模型显示，有孩子和在家工作增加了在疫情期间领养宠物的可能性。此外，在疫情期间领养宠物以及管理有行为问题的宠物与获得兽医护理方面面临更大挑战有关。这些发现凸显了新冠疫情期间与宠物领养和兽医护理相关的独特情况，这些情况可能会扩展到其他情形。更好地理解这些困难对于制定保护动物福利和支持人宠关系的解决方案至关重要，尤其是在危机时期。
