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    Big stretches and borks for days. You guessed it folks, a post about your pets. It's the kind of thing that makes me wonder why there is any negativity in the world at all. The boops and beans of all the pets in the world are sometimes a little overwhelming, to say the least. The overexposure at home during COVID has made me wonder, are people with pets living better lives than the people without? I would place a bet on it, if I actually gambled, but I don't, so I'll just make a bold statement and say, yes.

    Pets make people happier, and I think the same goes for the happiness of pets to people. When you are home, your lovely snookums is either shaking their fun loving tell, or doing what all cats do, rubbing up against you in a figure eight pattern. Or maybe an infinity symbol, which could be them telling you how much they really care for you. The world may never know. But what happens to the pets of the world when their persons leave them for an extended amount of time? I think it's safe to say that they probably feel abandoned from the moment you close the door on your way out. It's probably one of the leading reasons they get so excited upon your return; realizing you didn't abandon them for good.

    According to the research conducted in the fabulous Veterinary Ireland Journal, Sinnéad Oakes writes about, "Anticipating Separation Anxiety in Dogs Post Covid-19 Lockdown". Oakes writes a compelling argument for the wellfare of dogs, which I think we can all agree would most likely affect cats as well. She explains that because of the increase of time at home during the pandemic, a lot of folks are becoming more attached to their pets, which in turn works both ways. You spending more time with them, helps them to become used to having you around all day, making for a greater increase in separation anxiety, explains Oakes, once the COVID restrictions have been fully lifted. Most people will return to the normal hours at work, or maybe even extended hours because of the increase of demand on certain positions, which will cause the pets of the world to be left home alone like Kevin McCallister on Christmas. Except they won't be driven to fight off a nefarious duo with sticky fingers. Nope, they will probably invite the company into your home, because they just really need some attention.

    I think one clear step would be for either the use of technology, or the casual and gradual separation pre-post-COVID. When the word is given for most people to return to work full time for everyone, if you haven't already gone back, think about getting out of the house for a bit, without your pet, for a couple of hours each day. First, it will slowly pre-condition your pet to getting used to the lack of co-habitation. Then, it will also give you a little a space from your pet, so your mental health does not fleet because of the lack of attention you will be getting from them. And finally, it just made brighten up your day to get out and do something different for a change. Maybe a take a walk at the nearest park, ride a bike, or even take up a yoga class. Any of these would be a suitable substitute for sitting at home without much exercise.

    On a somewhat related side topic, Joshua Van Bourg et al., in, "Pet dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) release their trapped and distressed owners: Individual variation and evidence of emotional contagion," write on the transferal of emotions from a person to their pet, more specifically dogs, through a deeper connection that I do not fully understand yet. The study that Van Bourg et al. conducted was on a pet owner being stuck in a cage and their dog being put in a situation where they could help them escape. They found that the pets were just as willing to help their owner escape if they were in distress, as they were when offered a treat inside of the cage instead. This shows that dogs, in this case, are very faithful to their owners, but also feel a sense of reward for helping their owner out.

    This last set of research got me thinking about how energy can transfer over to one's pets, whether it be negative or positive, which I also feel like works both ways. When your pet is in distress, anxious, or even depressed, maybe the feeling will trickle over to you. It made me think about when one of my family's dogs had gotten loose and came back later in the day with some sort of poison in their system. His name was Bear, and he was an Akita. Hey was absolutely beautiful, but it was one of the saddest things ever to see him in excruciating pain until the moment he passed away. I can still feel the pain of watching him suffer, and it was nothing to what he was going through. So, I do think those emotions and feelings pass between owners and their pets, which is why I think it could be really beneficial for people to consider acclimating their pet into a more normal life before returning to work. If not, you may find that they are depressed or anxious, and eventually that you are depressed and anxious, but don't know why.