Melissa Bain, a veterinary behaviour specialist at the Animal Behaviour Resource Institute, has issued advice to pet owners over how to minimise the amount of stress in their animals' lives.
According to Patricia Conte of Sheknows.com, Ms Bain recommends plenty of human interaction with both dogs and cats, saying owners should stimulate their pets both physically and mentally by playing with them on a daily basis in order to help keep them happy.
It is also important to keep animals occupied even when they are alone, which is why owners should consider investing in pet accessories such as dog chew toys or cat scratch posts which their animal can play with when home alone.
Stress can often result from sudden or drastic changes in a pet's life, such as moving to a new home or being adopted by a new owner. It is therefore particularly important to take the necessary steps to keep an animal happy during times of upheaval or change.
