My Therapist Has Paws and a Tail – Impact of Having Pets on the Psychosocial Wellbeing of Pet Owners Residing In an Urban Area of Kancheepuram District Tamil Nadu

Pet attachment plays an important role in human’s mental health, well-being, and quality of life. This study examined the human attachment to their pets and their stress reduction because of their pets among urban area of Kancheepuram district, Tamil Nadu. Objective: With the above background, the study was done with the aim to assess stress reduction due to pet attachment among pet owners. Methodology: Sample size was calculated using the formula 4PQ/l2. Based on the study done by Hart LA et al, 64% of pet owners benefitted psychosocially from pet companionship.13 Keeping this as P in the formula, sample size was calculated with 8% absolute precision and 10% non-response. The required sample size was rounded off to 170. The study was started in January 2021. By purposive sampling method, from the outpatients visiting urban health center attached to a private medical college, those who have pets were included in the study. Study was completed by April 2021 when the required sample size of 170 was reached. Results: Among the study participants, most of them were in the age group between 15 to 30 years. Around 50.6% were females and 48.2% were males. About 94.7% were educated and 62.9% were employed. Around 75.9% participants allowed their pets inside the room and around 82.4% of them considered their pet as their family member. Attachment to pets been calculated using Short Attachment to Pet Scale (SAPS) of which 74.1% participants had good attachment to pets. In this study around 80.6% participants felt reduction in self- reported stress being with their pets. Conclusion: From this study, 74.1% reported stress reduction on being with pets. Thus, adopting a pet can considerably reduce the stress.