animals Article Impact of the First COVID-19 Lockdown on Management of Pet Dogs in the UK Robert M. Christley *,†, Jane K. Murray *,† , Katharine L. Anderson, Emma L. Buckland, Rachel A. Casey, Naomi D. Harvey , Lauren Harris, Katrina E. Holland , Kirsten M. McMillan, Rebecca Mead, Sara C. Owczarczak-Garstecka and Melissa M. Upjohn Dogs Trust, London EC1V 7RQ, UK;
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[email protected] (J.K.M.) † These Authors contributed equally to this work. Simple Summary: Initial COVID-19 lockdown restrictions in the United Kingdom (23 March–12 May 2020) prompted many people to change their lifestyle. We explored the impact of this lockdown phase on pet dog welfare using an online survey of 6004 dog owners, who provided information including dog management data for the 7 days prior to survey completion (4–12 May 2020), and for February 2020 (pre-lockdown). Most owners believed that their dog’s routine had changed due to lockdown restrictions. Many dogs were left alone less frequently and for less time during lockdown and were spending more time with household adults and children.