Aine Givens. ManyPets “5 Statistics about the COVID-19 Pet Adoption Surge.” ManyPets, ManyPets (US)

BACKGROUND: Before Covid-19 many people had already had a pet. Once businesses started shutting down many homes welcomed pets into their lives. Around 19% of people added pets to their homes. After the pandemic died down a little 90% of dogs and 85% of cats remained in their homes. 87% of pet owners would still get their pet if they had the choice to go back in time. The main issue with buying a pet during a global pandemic is the financial concerns. Many people are struggling to support themselves, let alone animals. People with an income of 50,000 or less were more likely to surrender their pet to a shelter. 

HOW I USED IT: This source gave me key information about the financial side of the struggle of owning a pet in COVID-19.

Bella Vista Health Center. “How Socialization Affects Your Overall Mental Health: Bella Vista San Diego, CA.” Bella Vista Health Center, Bella Vista Health Center, 14 Sept. 2016.

BACKGROUND: Many people do not realize how important socialization is because for many we get it everyday. We’ve gotten so used to the hustle and bustle of our daily lives that we don’t realize how detrimental it is to go without socialization. One of the biggest signs of depression is isolation. Studies have proven that being around others can lower the severity of depression. It keeps stress levels at a low and helps keep anxiety down. The stronger the connections that person builds for themselves the better their mental health will be. Not only is it beneficial to your mental health but your physical health as well. Socialization fights off dementia and Alzheimer’s. The more connected you stay with others, the stronger your memory will be.

HOW I USED IT: I used this source to explain why people were looking for a companion. It gave me a good idea of how important socialization is for your mental health.

Coston, D. (2022, May 23). “Pet adoptions statistics: Facts & Faqs.” Retrieved April 19, 2023.

BACKGROUND: Shelters are constantly taking in animals in need of a proper home, but that’s not always an easy thing to find. Adoption is the perfect option if you are looking for a loyal companion. Shelters are flooded with many dogs and adopting will help with the overcrowding. The United States takes in about 6.3 million animals a year while about only 4.1  million of those animals get adopted. Shelters may have to care for some dogs for a very long time. The most common dog breeds in shelters are Pit Bull Terriers, Labrador Retrievers, German Shepherds, Dachshunds, Chihuahuas, and Boxers. Many people decide not to adopt because they prefer a purebred dog however 25% of the dogs in shelters are purebred. Fortunately the percentage of no-kill shelters doubled from 24% to 48%.

HOW I USED IT: This article was full of important statistics that backed up my hypothesis. 

“How the COVID-19 Pandemic Changed Society.” UAB News

BACKGROUND: Within two years the world has flipped upside down. The University of Alabama’s experts discussed how it has drastically changed society. Hospitals have created an app called “B Well” that is now up and running. This app has a self-care feature to monitor your healthy habits like sleep, movemeet, nutrition, routine as well as habits that you can create yourself.

HOW I USED IT: I thought it was important to show the severe decline in mental health that universities are designing app strictly to help with COVID-19. I believe this shows readers how serious this issue was and why people were trying to adopt dogs.

Matthew Salois, PhD, and PhD Gail Golab DVM. “The Covid-19 Pet Adoption Boom: Did It Really Happen?” DVM 360, DVM 360, 23 Sept. 2021

BACKGROUND: False stories have surfaced all over the news and the media about skyrocketing adoption during COVID-19. When taking a look at the statistics of how many adoptions have happened each year since 2016, 2020 had the lowest adoption rate with only 2.3 million dogs adopted. The reason for the decrease was that there was a smaller selection of animals. The reason for all the false reports is that the data is coming from surveys and anecdotes which are based on personal experiences. Although there wasn’t an increase in adoptions there was an increase in vet visits. 

HOW I USED IT: I use this article for my rebuttal section because he believes the media is lying and statistics are showing a different story. 

Morgan, L., Protopopova, A., Birkler, R. I. D., Itin-Shwartz, B., Sutton, G. A., Gamliel, A., Yakobson, B., & Raz, T. (2020, November 24). “Human–dog relationships during the COVID-19 pandemic: Booming dog adoption during social isolation.” Nature News. Retrieved March 6, 2023, from 

BACKGROUND: In the article Human–dog relationships during the COVID-19 pandemic: booming dog adoption during social isolation by Liat Morgan she talks about how covid has affected us and how dogs have helped. During Covid-19 there people were suffering for all sorts of health issues while being locked away in their house. Dogs and cats have shown to positively increase mental health. In stress-full positions such as the pandemic these pets have shown tremendous help with anxiety and depressions. Those who also deal with social anxiety whether the pandemic caused it or not will show lots of progress with a therapy animal. During the isolation there was a larger population adopting dogs. Studies have shown that humans and dogs are more alike due to the fact that we are both “social animals” where we can both benefit from one another. However the relationship between the two is bidirectional because we have shown to have negative effects on animals. There is a strong correlation between negative health and well being of the owner and the negative health and well being of the pet. During Covid-19 people were unable to take care of their pets so they gave them up so this could be related to the pandemic due to the health risks and cost it takes to take care of a dog.

HOW I USED IT: This article is an important key in my essay because it shows the positive affect animals have on humans. 

Nelson, K. (2021, December 28). “Best U.S. cities for dogs: Pet-friendliest places in 2023.” Retrieved April 19, 2023

BACKGROUND: For those with furry friends that are planning on moving you may want to research which areas are best for your pet. Some areas have wicked expensive pet care and or limited services. The key things to keep in mind when finding a new home for you and your pet is if it has affordable pet care, good weather, pet friendly establishments, and a good ratio of pets and people. The best cities to move to are Lincoln, Nebraska, Evansville, Charleston, South Carolina, Long Beach, California, and Temecula, California.

HOW I USED IT: I used this article for a specific statistic about New York Cities ratio of dog population to human population and shelters. 

Pets and happiness: Examining the association between pet ownership and Wellbeing. Taylor & Francis. (n.d.). Retrieved March 6, 2023, from 

BACKGROUND: In the article Pets and Happiness: Examining the Association between Pet Ownership and Wellbeing by Katherine Jacobs Bao and George Schreer, they discuss the question, Is there a connection between your happiness and your pet? Researchers have shown that there is a strong correlation between not only your physical but your mental health as well. The connection between your pet and your mental health has been shown to positively affect people with poor mental health. There has yet to be many studies proving that there’s a positive impact on those with good mental health. An online survey was conducted on Amazon Mechanical Turk where they found that those who have pets are more satisfied in life than those who do not. They broke the data down and found that dog owners scored higher showing that they have better overall wellbeing. When comparing different kinds of pet owners they looked at the Big Five personality traits. These traits consist of extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism, specifically. They did not see a noticeable difference when looking at which animal you owned in this section. There may not be an abundance of differences between those you have pets and those who don’t, there are still proven benefits to owning a dog over anything else.

HOW I USED IT: this article makes a strong case about the positive effect that dogs have on humans. 

“Purposeful Activity – Hobbies.” Head to Health,

BACKGROUND: Keeping yourself occupied with hobbies is extremely important for your mental health. It’s a great way to build relationships and sharpen your communication skills. Studies are shown that those with hobbies are less likely to struggle with mental health issues. It’s important to find something that you can enjoy on your own or with others, as long as it makes you happy. A hobby is the perfect way to relax after a long day at work. 

HOW I USED IT: I used this article to prove losing hobbies from covid-19 can affect your mental health so adopting a dog can keep you occupied

World Health Organization. (n.d.). “Covid-19 pandemic triggers 25% increase in prevalence of anxiety and depression worldwide.” World Health Organization. Retrieved March 6, 2023.

BACKGROUND: The number of people suffering with anxiety and depression once COVID-19 hit increased a total of 25%. An explanation for the rise in poor mental health is the social isolation as well as the inability to work for some people. COVID-19 brought many triggers for poor mental health such as death, financial issues, and for some people like healthy care workers, exhaustion. Statistics have shown that young people and women were hit the hardest when it comes to mental health. These people are at a higher risk for self afflicted harm or even suicide. Research also shows that people who had underlying health conditions were more likely to suffer from mental illness as well. 

HOW I USED IT: this article was full of mental health statistics which was important for my essay because I first had to prove that there was a mental health issue.