Impact of COVID-19 on pets and pet owners: A survey conducted in selected veterinary clinics in Accra, Ghana

Godwin Dogbey; Amos Dugah; Richard Kwamena Abbiw; Anthony Agbolosu; Kweku Asare-Dompreh; Theophilus Odoom; Allen Okine; Jonathan Amakye-Anim; Hope Richard Otsyina; Ben Enyetornye

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e37328

Impact of COVID-19 on pets and pet owners: A survey conducted in selected veterinary clinics in Accra, Ghana

Godwin Dogbey
, Amos Dugah
, Richard Kwamena Abbiw
, Anthony Agbolosu
, Kweku Asare-Dompreh
, Theophilus Odoom
, Allen Okine
, Jonathan Amakye-Anim
, Hope Richard Otsyina
, Ben Enyetornye

School of Veterinary Science
University for Development Studies
University of Ghana
Accra Laboratory

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article

Abstract

The study explores the impact of Covid-19 on pets and their owners using a structured questionnaire. One hundred fifty-seven (157) respondents were recruited from six veterinary clinics at strategic points within Accra. Only a third of owners gave their pet(s) special attention out of fear of contracting Covid-19 from their pet(s). 68.2 % of the respondents were interested in learning healthy pet-keeping tips from the electronic media and evident in their willingness (75.2 %) to embrace tele-veterinary services; a potential drift from traditional in-person way of providing veterinary services in Ghana. The decrease in household income (46.5 %), loss of employment for at least one person in the household (17.2 %) and associated spike in prices of pet related commodities affected the feeding of pets in about 44 % of respondents and ability to afford veterinary pet products (17.2 %). This is reflected in a 12.7 % reduction in the ability of pet owners to afford veterinary services. The observations made could be used as a basis for future research exploring the pet culture in Ghana and its evolution as a direct consequence of the pandemic.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	e37328
Journal	Heliyon
Volume	10
Issue number	17
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e37328
State	Published - Sep 15 2024
Externally published	Yes

Access to Document

10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e37328

Cite this

@article{d40e83fe77e0442d91c17f2271fdd497,

title = "Impact of COVID-19 on pets and pet owners: A survey conducted in selected veterinary clinics in Accra, Ghana",

abstract = "The study explores the impact of Covid-19 on pets and their owners using a structured questionnaire. One hundred fifty-seven (157) respondents were recruited from six veterinary clinics at strategic points within Accra. Only a third of owners gave their pet(s) special attention out of fear of contracting Covid-19 from their pet(s). 68.2 \% of the respondents were interested in learning healthy pet-keeping tips from the electronic media and evident in their willingness (75.2 \%) to embrace tele-veterinary services; a potential drift from traditional in-person way of providing veterinary services in Ghana. The decrease in household income (46.5 \%), loss of employment for at least one person in the household (17.2 \%) and associated spike in prices of pet related commodities affected the feeding of pets in about 44 \% of respondents and ability to afford veterinary pet products (17.2 \%). This is reflected in a 12.7 \% reduction in the ability of pet owners to afford veterinary services. The observations made could be used as a basis for future research exploring the pet culture in Ghana and its evolution as a direct consequence of the pandemic.",

author = "Godwin Dogbey and Amos Dugah and Abbiw, \{Richard Kwamena\} and Anthony Agbolosu and Kweku Asare-Dompreh and Theophilus Odoom and Allen Okine and Jonathan Amakye-Anim and Otsyina, \{Hope Richard\} and Ben Enyetornye",

note = "{\textcopyright} 2024 The Authors.",

year = "2024",

month = sep,

day = "15",

doi = "10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e37328",

language = "English",

volume = "10",

pages = "e37328",

journal = "Heliyon",

issn = "2405-8440",

number = "17",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Impact of COVID-19 on pets and pet owners

T2 - A survey conducted in selected veterinary clinics in Accra, Ghana

AU - Dogbey, Godwin

AU - Dugah, Amos

AU - Abbiw, Richard Kwamena

AU - Agbolosu, Anthony

AU - Asare-Dompreh, Kweku

AU - Odoom, Theophilus

AU - Okine, Allen

AU - Amakye-Anim, Jonathan

AU - Otsyina, Hope Richard

AU - Enyetornye, Ben

PY - 2024/9/15

Y1 - 2024/9/15

N2 - The study explores the impact of Covid-19 on pets and their owners using a structured questionnaire. One hundred fifty-seven (157) respondents were recruited from six veterinary clinics at strategic points within Accra. Only a third of owners gave their pet(s) special attention out of fear of contracting Covid-19 from their pet(s). 68.2 % of the respondents were interested in learning healthy pet-keeping tips from the electronic media and evident in their willingness (75.2 %) to embrace tele-veterinary services; a potential drift from traditional in-person way of providing veterinary services in Ghana. The decrease in household income (46.5 %), loss of employment for at least one person in the household (17.2 %) and associated spike in prices of pet related commodities affected the feeding of pets in about 44 % of respondents and ability to afford veterinary pet products (17.2 %). This is reflected in a 12.7 % reduction in the ability of pet owners to afford veterinary services. The observations made could be used as a basis for future research exploring the pet culture in Ghana and its evolution as a direct consequence of the pandemic.

AB - The study explores the impact of Covid-19 on pets and their owners using a structured questionnaire. One hundred fifty-seven (157) respondents were recruited from six veterinary clinics at strategic points within Accra. Only a third of owners gave their pet(s) special attention out of fear of contracting Covid-19 from their pet(s). 68.2 % of the respondents were interested in learning healthy pet-keeping tips from the electronic media and evident in their willingness (75.2 %) to embrace tele-veterinary services; a potential drift from traditional in-person way of providing veterinary services in Ghana. The decrease in household income (46.5 %), loss of employment for at least one person in the household (17.2 %) and associated spike in prices of pet related commodities affected the feeding of pets in about 44 % of respondents and ability to afford veterinary pet products (17.2 %). This is reflected in a 12.7 % reduction in the ability of pet owners to afford veterinary services. The observations made could be used as a basis for future research exploring the pet culture in Ghana and its evolution as a direct consequence of the pandemic.

U2 - 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e37328

DO - 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e37328

M3 - Article

C2 - 39296241

SN - 2405-8440

VL - 10

SP - e37328

JO - Heliyon

JF - Heliyon

IS - 17

ER -