Abstract
Simple SummaryFood insecurity and anxiety is an important topic in Covidian times. This study proposes a model that investigates the impact of pet owner’s perceptions of their pet, their engagement with their pet, sociodemographic factors and the frequency of incidences where pet owners could not provide sufficient food for their pet. The results are relevant to vets, managers and volunteers at animal shelters and pet food pantries, as behavioral changes in feeding and pet food buying resulting from pet food anxiety require awareness and accommodation in the everyday life of food insecure pet owners.The study provides insights for pet food retailers, vets and managers and volunteers at animal shelters, pet food pantries and food banks into the behavioral changes in feeding and pet food buying resulting from pet food anxiety in Covidian times. This study proposes a model that investigates the impact of pet owner’s perceptions of their pet, their engagement with their pet, sociodemographic factors and the frequency of incidences where pet owners could not provide sufficient food for their pet. For this purpose, an online survey with a sample of 206 US residents was conducted. Partial least squares structural equation modelling shows that perceiving the pet as an animal or family/friend, as well as active engagement with the pet, heightens a sense of pet food anxiety. Similarly, past experiences where pet owners could not provide sufficient food for their pet impacts pet food anxiety, which leads to changes in pet food shopping and pet feeding behavior. Sociodemographic factors (biological sex, age, income and education) were not found to impact anxiety.
Highlights
While biological sex was not found to be a significant predictor of pet food anxiety, there was some concern that the biological sex imbalance in the sample
A multigroup analysis examines relationship invariance across groups in the sample and the results indicated that the model hypotheses were supported for both sex subgroups, and two of the hypothesized relationships (H6: p = 0.040 and Hypothesis 7 (H7): p = 0.045) were significantly stronger for females
This study is relevant to pet food retailers, vets and managers and volunteers at animal shelters, pet food pantries and food banks into the behavioral changes in feeding and pet food buying resulting from pet food anxiety in Covidian times
Summary
This study proposes a model that investigates the impact of pet owner’s perceptions of their pet, their engagement with their pet, sociodemographic factors and the frequency of incidences where pet owners could not provide sufficient food for their pet. For this purpose, an online survey with a sample of 206 US residents was conducted. Annual check-ups, health issues, microchipping and emergencies are common reasons for veterinary service utilization and they represent considerable expense [18] Another significant expenditure for US pet owners is food [19,20].
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