Owning a dog doesn’t lead to happiness

Owning a dog doesn't make a person happy.

Researchers were staggered to find that people who have pooches reported higher levels of depression and anxiety, contradicting the idea that pets are a comforting presence for humans.

A team at King's College London and Aarhus University in Denmark analysed the relationship between pet ownership and mental health during the coronavirus pandemic and were left in shock by their findings.

Professor Christine Parsons, lead author of the study, said: “Our findings suggest that while pets can provide companionship, they are by no means a cure-all for mental health issues, especially during stressful times like a pandemic.

“Although the body of research done on the topic has been mixed, we were genuinely surprised to find that pet owners generally experienced slightly higher levels of depression, anxiety, and anhedonia during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This runs counter to a prevailing public belief that pets are beneficial for mental health.”