Did dog ownership influence perceptions of adult health and wellbeing during and following the Canterbury earthquakes? A qualitative study.

The Canterbury earthquakes impacted upon the health and wellbeing of Christchurch residents. Although companion dogs can positively affect human health, there is little research exploring how dog ownership influences human health and wellbeing during and following natural disasters. We asked whether dog ownership influenced perceptions of health and wellbeing in humans during and following the Canterbury earthquakes. A general inductive approach guided analysis of our qualitative data. Seven adult women who owned dogs during and following the Canterbury earthquakes participated in semi-structured interviews that were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. We identified three themes: ‘Companionship’ demonstrated how a close bond was experienced between all participants and their companion dogs. ‘Support’ highlights how the difference in nature of a close bond influenced the mental, physical and social support gained from a dog-owner relationship. ‘Changing priorities’ showed how the themes of ‘companionship’ and ‘support’ were interwoven in the way participants re-prioritized important aspects of their lives. Dog ownership influenced perceptions of health and wellbeing of our participants during the Christchurch earthquakes. We recommend that health practitioners continue to develop their understanding of companion animals as a potential source of psychological support outside the health system. We also recommend that, where possible, emergency management practitioners and policy makers help ensure that humans and their canine companions stay together following natural disasters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]