Dr. Niwako Ogata, an associate professor of veterinary behavior medicine in Purdue’s College of Veterinary Medicine, says pets could be feeling secondhand anxiety from their owners who are coping with lifestyle changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. (Stock image) - West Lafayette, Indiana 
PRESS RELEASE: Your pets are stressed out, too
The COVID-19 pandemic is creating emotional stress and anxiety for humans – but chances are, their furry companions are likely feeling the same way.
Dr. Niwako Ogata, an associate professor of veterinary behavior medicine in Purdue University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, says pets could be feeling secondhand anxiety from their owners who are coping with lifestyle changes caused by the pandemic. People’s disruption in routines and more time at home can also induce anxiety in animals, especially if they have underlying anxiety issues.
“It’s important to understand that animals are not good at coping with uncertainty in general,” Ogata says. “Right now, humans are facing more uncertainty than ever, and our own situations are constantly changing, which can be confusing to our pets. They don’t watch the news or consume information like we do, and they can see how stressed out we are; it can be very confusing for them.”
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