Advertisement

Dog looking out the window
© Pixabay

Over half of dogs bought during pandemic have never been outside their home

By Zoë Monk Content Writer

Published on the Updated on the

Despite puppy sales soaring as more people work from home during the pandemic, a survey of dog owners reveals that many of these dogs have never been out of their home.

There has been a surge in pet adoptions across the UK since the start of the pandemic, but many puppies adopted during lockdown may not be getting the best start of life.

As we embark on the UK's third lockdown, a survey of Brits who adopted a dog within the last year has revealed some shocking facts, sparking concern that many of these pups are not properly cared for. Research from Itch, a pet wellness company, explored dog ownership during the last 12 months to understand the challenges pet owners face post-pandemic. But the results make shocking reading.

Pandemic pups

An alarming 62% of pups bought or adopted since the pandemic have never been outside of their home. A further two out of five dogs have never even met another dog. The survey also discovered that nearly half (49%) of these dogs have never had contact with children, while 36% have never even been to a park.

Find out why it's so important to walk your dog.

Dogs need to be socialised before they turn 16 weeks old. This means that many of these dogs will need help reintegrating into a post-pandemic society to ensure they can enjoy a happy and fulfilling life.

Pet adoption regret

At the start of the pandemic, many animal charities warned against buying or adopting a pet on impulse during lockdown. They predicted that many families would come to regret their purchase later on. Sadly, they were right as 40% now admit to regretting buying their pup.

One in five say they didn't realise how much work was involved in caring for a puppy, and a third of people are now considering putting their dog up for adoption. Pet websites are flooded with listings of dogs for sale, while animal charities are overwhelmed with calls from people wanting to rehome their pet.

Check out our tips on how to find a good dog walker.

But not all of the results are worrying. More than 40% of owners said that adopting a dog during the pandemic has been great for their fitness and mental health.

Just remember, a dog is for life, not just for lockdown.

See also: Hundreds of puppies put up for sale as owners regret lockdown adoption 

More news about...

What did you think of this article?

Thanks for your feedback !

Thanks for your feedback !

Leave a comment
Connect to comment
Want to share this article?