Pet Talk: Pet ownership increases among singles | OregonLive.com

When an 11-year-long relationship fell apart six months ago, Portland resident Kristin Thiel leaned on one comfort that has always been a constant in her adult life: her cat, Izzy.

Thiel adopted the cat when she was 22 and living in the Chicago suburbs. Since then, Izzy has accompanied Thiel through many significant events in her life, such as her first job in Minnesota and her eventual move to Oregon.

“She has seen so much of me,” says Thiel, co-owner and senior editor of Indigo Editing & Publications. “She’s kind of like a living time capsule of me.”

Thiel, now 36, may be single – but she certainly isn’t alone.

Pet ownership among single people has increased by nearly 17 percent – from 46.9 percent in 2006 to 54.7 percent in 2011, according to a recent survey by the American Veterinary Medical Association.

That’s compared to only a 1.37 percent increase in pet ownership among families – from 65.5 percent to 66.4 percent.

The study also indicates that singles are more likely to think of pets as family members, rather than companions or property.

The findings came from the AVMA’s U.S. Pet Ownership and Demographics Sourcebook, a sampling of pet population trends drawn from a national survey of more than 50,000 households.

“As people become more and more likely to live in cities, and given the housing crisis over the past four to five years, my worry was that pet ownership would decrease,” says AVMA president Dr. Douglas Aspros.

“Looking at the data, that’s not been happening, and that’s a good thing. Pet ownership does really good things, not just for pets who need homes, but for people.”

Pets can offer wonderful companionship, especially to people who live alone, he notes.

“It may not be the same thing as having friends or a roommate or spouse,” Aspros says, “but it’s a lot less complicated, and they still provide a tremendous amount of support.”

The impact on mental health

Pets can indeed provide a mental health boon for some single people, but that’s not necessarily true for everyone, says Jenna LeJeune, a licensed psychologist at Portland Psychotherapy.

“Any relationship, whether it’s with a two-legged animal or a four-legged animal, can be the source of incredible growth and connection and help you expand in your life,” says LeJeune, who specializes in relationships and intimacy issues.

When a person uses it as an excuse to stay home and avoid the world, however, pet ownership may have the opposite effect. Animal hoarding is an extreme example.

LeJeune also cautions against adopting a pet as a way to “fix” loneliness.

“Maybe the animal can be a catalyst for you, but they’re not going to do the work for you,” she says.

Yet pets can help singles to facilitate social interaction with other humans. At the dog park – a major social outlet for many owners – dogs can offer a safe, comfortable topic of conversation.

That’s true for Milwaukie resident Matt Clark, who says the unique markings on his German shorthaired pointer, Rocko, often attract attention.

A dog whose whole body moves back and forth, or “waggles,” when he’s happy, Rocko puts people at ease.

“It’s definitely an ice-breaker when it comes to random people coming up and starting conversation,” says Clark, 46.

Clark, a mechanical engineer, also points out that his dog motivates him to get outside and be active when he might otherwise be tempted to flop on the couch after work.

 Portland resident Lee Crabb says his mixed-breed dog, Hogan, has served as a loyal companion, partner, buddy and road dog for the past 11 years. He’s also a bit of a wing man.

“I’ve never used him to pick up ladies, but he has definitely aided in his own way,” Crabb says.

Hogan also prepared Crabb for the most important role of his life: fatherhood. The experience of caring for a dog for so long helped equip Crabb, 34, with the responsibilities that go along with a four-year-old daughter.

Lin Hendler, a volunteer attorney with Disability Rights Oregon, credits her 6-year-old Akita-Lab mix named Shackleton with helping her to meet her neighbors. He once ran away after eating something he wasn’t supposed to, and her neighbors took care of him until she found him.

Other neighbors offered to loan her a harness to help her manage the 90-pound dog, a “big puller,” during walks.

At home, Shackleton provides comfort when needed.

“If I’m crying, he’ll come over and put his head in my lap,” says Hendler, who also owns a cat named Jimmy.

Companion animals do play an important role in helping a person recover from emotional pain, LeJeune says.

“One of the biggest influences on somebody’s ability to cope with any trauma, difficulty or really stressful life event is a strong social support network,” LeJeune says.

That support network doesn’t have to be limited to humans.

Thiel has found to be very true.

Izzy “really stepped up her game” during those painful months following the break-up, and the comfort of her cat’s presence was invaluable.

As for Hendler, she would gladly stay at home with her furry companions rather than spend time with someone who doesn’t share her passion for pets.

“I definitely would pass up a date if I knew they were not interested in dogs or cats,” she says. “If they don’t like my big, goofy dog, then what’s the point?”

The survey also found that since 2006, there has been:

-A 16.6 percent increase in pet ownership among single people

-A 22 percent increase in single female pet owners

-A 27.7 percent increase in pet ownership among males living alone

-A 31.1 percent increase in cat ownership by men living alone

-A 27.5 percent increase in cat ownership among women living alone

-A by 17.7 percent increase in pet ownership among people who are divorced, widowed or separated 

For more information, visit avma.org.

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