Expert Says 47% of Americans Feel Dog Separation Anxiety, Underscoring Pets' Mental Health Strain
Updated
Updated · The Independent · Jun 5
Expert Says 47% of Americans Feel Dog Separation Anxiety, Underscoring Pets' Mental Health Strain
1 articles · Updated · The Independent · Jun 5
Summary
47% of Americans in one survey said they feel separation anxiety when leaving dogs at home, a stress Emily Hemendinger says reflects the overlooked mental-health burden of pet ownership.
Research still shows cats and dogs can reduce loneliness, stress and anxiety, while giving owners companionship, purpose and social connection—benefits that surged into view during the COVID-19 adoption boom.
41% of pet owners in the survey said they declined social invitations rather than leave their dog, and 70% said they would prefer remote work so they could stay home with a pet.
Hemendinger says owners also face financial strain, vet-care stress, shame around reactive dogs, and intense end-of-life grief that can go socially unrecognized as disenfranchised grief.
She argues employers, friends and clinicians should validate those pressures with flexibility, support and self-compassion rather than treating pet-related guilt or grief as trivial.