How Dogs Can Benefit Your Mental Health

More and more Americans have been getting pups during the pandemic — which can actually boost your overall wellness.

By Wilson Chapman
Sep 28, 2020 4:05 PMNov 3, 2020 4:44 PM
Happy man with pet dog - Shutterstock
(Credit: 4 PM Production/Shutterstock)

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While there’s been plenty of grim news to come out of the COVID-19 pandemic, there have also been a few heartwarming trends, too. For one, since March animal shelters throughout the U.S. have seen a significant spike in animal adoptions and foster care placements — particularly for dogs.    

As people settled into quarantine, shelters across the country began reporting an unprecedented amount of requests by people wanting to adopt dogs. In addition, Kitty Block, CEO and president of the Humane Society of the United States, says that in March and April the number of nationwide foster animal placements increased by 40 to 50 percent from 2019. During one week in March alone, placements soared by 790 percent compared to the same time period last year.

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