Pandemic Puppies: Characterising Motivations and Behaviours of UK Owners Who Purchased Puppies during the 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic.

ABSTRACT: Widespread media reports suggest that unusually high numbers of the public purchased, or sought to purchase, puppies following the first 'lockdown' phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK, dubbed "Pandemic Puppies". This study aimed to explore this phenomenon by comparing pre-purchase motivations and behaviours, and purchase behaviours of UK owners purchasing puppies aged < 16 weeks from 23 March 2020-31 December 2020 with those of owners who purchased puppies during the same date-period in 2019. An online survey was conducted during November-December 2020, from which 5517 valid responses were analysed (2019 puppies: n = 1148; 2020 'Pandemic Puppies': n = 4369). Over 1 in 10 Pandemic Puppy owners had not considered purchasing a puppy before the pandemic, and 2 in 5 felt their decision to

SUBMITTER: Packer RMA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8468924 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature