COVID-19: implications of self-isolation and social distancing for the emotional and behavioural health of equines, parrots and small prey pets

Currently, COVID-19 regulations dictate that the human population is restricted to a single outdoor exercise period per day, during which social distancing must apply. This inevitably limits the time spent with, and range of activities undertaken with, equines. Although parrots and small prey animals are unlikely to spend time outside the home and garden, the COVID-19 regulations can also affect the time spent with, and the nature of interaction with humans and other animals, as families are forced to remain within the confines of home and garden. It is inevitable that these restrictions are going to affect the companion animal population that are used to a routine associated with exercise opportunities, care and/or social exposure to the wider human family.

Animals such as horses, ponies and donkeys, that may be assumed to be benefiting from increased opportunities for their owners to spend time in their care, are affected by social distancing advice that is resulting in many equine owners sharing and rotating care with other yard users (British Horse Society, 2020). For many equines this will involve an unavoidable alteration to both the routine and nature of their care. In addition, although furloughing and other COVID-19 related alterations to human working routines have left many equine owners with increased time to spend on equine-related activities, these activities have actually drastically declined as owners follow advice such as that provided by Horse and Hound (Murray, 2020) that suggests that equine owners think carefully about the implications for the NHS should hospital beds be taken up as a result of riding-related accidents.