Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.AllNewsSportCultureLifestyleThe late Karl Lagerfeld’s cat Choupette was left a fortune in the designer’s will (Instagram)Pet ownership offers significant mental health benefits, including reducing stress and anxiety, providing companionship, and instilling a sense of purpose and responsibility. Despite the positives, pet ownership can also lead to considerable stress, including challenges with training, veterinary care, and financial burdens, as well as the emotional toll of managing a pet's health or behavioral issues. Many pet owners experience separation anxiety when leaving their pets, decline social invitations, and feel guilt similar to that of human parents regarding their pets' well-being. The grief associated with pet loss is often disenfranchised, meaning it is not socially acknowledged or validated, which can lead to feelings of isolation, depression, and worsened quality of life for owners. There is a need for greater societal validation, patience, and compassion for pet owners' complex emotions, with suggestions for employers and loved ones to offer support and encourage self-compassion. In fullPets can boost happiness and ease loneliness — but they can also add unavoidable stress to daily life, experts sayThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in
Scientists confirm your pet is basically another child
Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.AllNewsSportCultureLifestyleThe late Karl Lagerfeld’s cat Choupette was left a fortune in the designer’s will (Instagram)Pet ownership offers significant mental health benefits, including reducing stress and anxiety, providing companionship, and instilling a sense of purpose and responsibility. Despite the positives, pet ownership can also lead to considerable stress, including challenges with training, veterinary care, and financial burdens, as well as the emotional toll of managing a pet's health or behavioral issues. Many pet owners experience separation anxiety when leaving their pets, decline social invitations, and feel guilt similar to that of human parents regarding their pets' well-being. The grief associated with pet loss is often disenfranchised, meaning it is not socially acknowledged or validated, which can lead to feelings of isolation, depression, and worsened quality of life for owners. There is a need for greater societal validation, patience, and compassion for pet owners' complex emotions, with suggestions for employers and loved ones to offer support and encourage self-compassion. In fullPets can boost happiness and ease loneliness — but they can also add unavoidable stress to daily life, experts sayThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in
