With the majority of Canadians now having enough vaccinations to return to their workplace, many employers welcome them full-time or part-time, and as a result, pets are now left alone for long hours. How do we deal with separation anxiety after months together? Here are some tips.

Separation steps are even more important if the owner adopts an animal during an epidemic, as the period of socialization for dogs and cats was very short and occurred very early in the lives of these animals, explains Alexandra Protopova, an animal health researcher at the University of British Columbia (UBC).

The first thing to do is find out what our daily life will be like when we go back to work. Shall we be away from home five or six hours? And then our pet gradually gets used to our absence.

The challenges are even greater for owners who have not left their pets alone for long periods of time or if the pets have not had physical contact with other people.

Alexandra Protopopova adds that it’s important to slowly introduce them to anything new, whether it’s people, environments, or special situations.

How to deal with separation anxiety in animals

And don’t forget that humans can also experience separation anxiety when leaving their pets at home alone. The important thing, Alexandra Protopova adds, is not to ignore the signs and speak to a professional.