The pandemic has caused significant changes to Britons’ relationship with their pets – from the use of tech to alleviate separation anxiety to the rise of sustainable pet food. Canvas8 spoke to eight pet owners from across the UK to understand how their concerns and expectations have evolved.

Increased anxiety and loneliness led to a boom in pet sales during lockdowns – but as offices open up again, people are having to navigate new challenges. A slew of pet-tech solutions is cropping up to relieve pet parents of the guilt of leaving home and to help alleviate separation anxiety.

Pet-owners who have been able to work from home are claiming that man's best friend is the only reason they’ve kept their sanity during lockdown. And as people start thinking about returning to work after the pandemic, they’re eager to make sure their dogs don’t experience separation anxiety.

For a new generation of pet owners, spurred on by the pandemic, the emotional health of their animals is more important than ever before. Petpuls’ AI-powered dog collar promises to deepen the pet-owner relationship and provide emotional transparency by giving dogs a voice.