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Family Pet Ownership during Childhood: Findings from a UK Birth Cohort and Implications for Public Health Research

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  • Carri Westgarth

    (School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, Cheshire, CH64 7TE, UK)

  • Jon Heron

    (Department of Social Medicine, University of Bristol, 39 Whatley Road, Bristol, BS8 2PS, UK)

  • Andy R. Ness

    (School of Oral and Dental Science, University of Bristol, Lower Maudlin Street, Bristol, BS1 2LY, UK)

  • Peter Bundred

    (School of Population, Community and Behavioural Sciences, University of Liverpool, Brownlow Hill, Liverpool, L69 3GB, UK)

  • Rosalind M. Gaskell

    (School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, Cheshire, CH64 7TE, UK)

  • Karen P. Coyne

    (School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, Cheshire, CH64 7TE, UK)

  • Alexander J. German

    (School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, Cheshire, CH64 7TE, UK)

  • Sandra McCune

    (WALTHAM® Centre for Pet Nutrition, Waltham-on-the-Wolds, Melton Mowbray, Leics, LE14 4RT, UK)

  • Susan Dawson

    (School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, Cheshire, CH64 7TE, UK)

Abstract

In developed nations, approximately half of household environments contain pets. Studies of Human-Animal Interaction (HAI) have proposed that there are health benefits and risks associated with pet ownership. However, accurately demonstrating and understanding these relationships first requires a better knowledge of factors associated with ownership of different pet types. A UK birth cohort, the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), were used to collect pet ownership data from the mothers, from gestation to child age 10 years old. 14,663 children were included in the study, of which mothers of 13,557 reported pet information at gestation, and 7,800 by age 10. Pet types recorded include cat, dog, rabbit, rodent, bird, fish and tortoise/turtle. The dataset also contains a number of demographic, socioeconomic and behavioural variables relevant to human health behaviour. Logistic regression was used to build multivariable models for ownership of each pet type at age 7 years. Family pet ownership increased during childhood, in particular rabbits, rodents and fish. A number of socioeconomic and demographic factors were associated with ownership of different pet types and the effects differed depending on the pet type studied. Variables which require consideration by researchers include gender, presence of older siblings, ethnicity, maternal and paternal education, maternal and paternal social class, maternal age, number of people in the household, house type, and concurrent ownership of other pets. Whether the mother had pets during her childhood was a strong predictor of pet ownership in all models. In HAI studies, care should be taken to control for confounding factors, and to treat each pet type individually. ALSPAC and other similar birth cohorts can be considered a potential resource for research into the effects of pet ownership during childhood.

Suggested Citation

  • Carri Westgarth & Jon Heron & Andy R. Ness & Peter Bundred & Rosalind M. Gaskell & Karen P. Coyne & Alexander J. German & Sandra McCune & Susan Dawson, 2010. "Family Pet Ownership during Childhood: Findings from a UK Birth Cohort and Implications for Public Health Research," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 7(10), pages 1-26, October.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:7:y:2010:i:10:p:3704-3729:d:9901
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Cutt, H. & Giles-Corti, B. & Knuiman, M. & Timperio, A. & Bull, F., 2008. "Understanding dog owners' increased levels of physical activity: Results from RESIDE," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 98(1), pages 66-69.
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    Cited by:

    1. Barbara B. Brown & Wyatt A. Jensen, 2020. "Dog Ownership and Walking: Perceived and Audited Walkability and Activity Correlates," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(4), pages 1-14, February.
    2. Kaori Endo & Syudo Yamasaki & Shuntaro Ando & Takefumi Kikusui & Kazutaka Mogi & Miho Nagasawa & Itsuka Kamimura & Junko Ishihara & Miharu Nakanishi & Satoshi Usami & Mariko Hiraiwa-Hasegawa & Kiyoto , 2020. "Dog and Cat Ownership Predicts Adolescents’ Mental Well-Being: A Population-Based Longitudinal Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(3), pages 1-11, January.
    3. Machiko Minatoya & Atsuko Ikeda-Araki & Chihiro Miyashita & Sachiko Itoh & Sumitaka Kobayashi & Keiko Yamazaki & Yu Ait Bamai & Yasuaki Saijo & Yukihiro Sato & Yoshiya Ito & Reiko Kishi & The Japan En, 2021. "Association between Early Life Child Development and Family Dog Ownership: A Prospective Birth Cohort Study of the Japan Environment and Children’s Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(13), pages 1-14, July.
    4. Konstantinos Christopoulos & Vasiliki Benetou & Elena Riza & Nikos Pantazis, 2022. "Pet ownership and survival of European older adults," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 19(4), pages 1549-1560, December.
    5. Machiko Minatoya & Atsuko Araki & Chihiro Miyashita & Sachiko Itoh & Sumitaka Kobayashi & Keiko Yamazaki & Yu Ait Bamai & Yasuaki Saijyo & Yoshiya Ito & Reiko Kishi & The Japan Environment and Childre, 2019. "Cat and Dog Ownership in Early Life and Infant Development: A Prospective Birth Cohort Study of Japan Environment and Children’s Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(1), pages 1-11, December.

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    Keywords

    ALSPAC; pet; dog; cat; child;
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