Pawsome stress busters

Pets offer unconditional love and can thus be wonderful companions for both kids and adults during these hard times, writes Madhuri Ramesh

As the Covid-19 pandemic spreads a blanket of grief over the world, keeping safe and staying at home continue to remain our best way to combat it. In such a scenario, it is unavoidable for adults and kids alike to slip down the dark, hollow spiral of depression. The unpredictability of the pandemic is indeed taking a toll on our mental health and kids seem to be all the more affected. Schools have gone online and playtime is being cut off, depriving kids of social skills. However, having a pet at home can definitely change that.

“Having a pet can give you a reason to get up in the morning,” says Sanjana Madappa who set up the animal NGO organisation CUPA’s Second Chance Adoption Centre in Bengaluru in 2013. “It ends up giving you a push to get up and get out and continue living,” she adds. As the saying goes: ‘The world’s best antidepressant has four legs, a wagging tail, and comes with unconditional love.’

Temper tantrums

Sanjana, who is also a mother to a young boy, says that the only reason her son has been sane and not turned into a whiny, crying child throwing tantrums is purely because of their dog.

Several studies have shown that caring for a pet can improve a child’s social skills by teaching them to be compassionate and empathetic towards other living beings. Bonding with pets in a positive manner has also been linked to developing healthy relationships and can further contribute to boosting a child’s self-esteem and confidence.

Most importantly, having a pet at home is like having a companion, something that is much needed to overcome feelings of anxiety and loneliness during the pandemic.

Keeps you active

In addition to mental health issues, obesity in children resulting from a lack of physical activity is on the rise. Moreover, an increase in screen time has also become a major cause of worry as gadget use among kids during the lockdown is found to have doubled. However, a furry companion can help reverse that! “My dog is one year old, and he and my son are inseparable,” exclaims Sanjana. “My son chooses to play with him over playing games on the iPad.”

Psychiatrist Dr Chandrashekhar Natarajan mentions that having pets at home is one of the better ways to learn how to take on responsibility. “People are getting stuck to electronic gadgets and screen time is increasing and having pets is kind of like a full-time job,” he says.

He states that pets have the ability to act as a diversion for kids from overusing electronic gadgets, thus driving them away from gadget addiction. “It is a very positive thing to happen,” he adds.

Therapeutic

Dr Chandrashekhar believes that a pet can be a wonderful companion and an excellent stress buster for both kids and adults during these hard times. “Having a pet is something which we do recommend. In any mental health issue, having pets is something that is quite therapeutic. So wherever at times during the course of a conversation we realise that this person can take responsibility, we do recommend pets as a way to improve their lifestyle,” he says.

However, while adopting a pet may have its benefits, it is also important to acknowledge your pet’s mental health and not adopt a pet just because you are bored.

Research has shown an alarming increase in the number of pet abandonments during the pandemic.

“If you are choosing to adopt an animal, make sure you are doing it for the right reason,” says Sanjana. She recommends that signing up for pet fostering is the best option for people who are willing to help out and benefit from the pet but are however unwilling to commit long term.