Pets are something you may hear about a lot. Your next-door neighbor, friends, or family might have a pet. But ever since COVID-19, more and more people have been adopting pets. 

According to Research and Markets and the Manchester Evening News, the prices of puppies have been skyrocketing in the UK, and pet adoptions in the U.S. have surged since the beginning of the pandemic. A similar phenomenon has been occurring in the US as well. The data from Pets4Homes shows that the number of people looking to adopt a dog have almost doubled from 2019. With these costs, prices of the animals have been raised up to 104% more than last year. It’s clear that pets are now more popular than ever—but why?

Steve Mapley, a dog breeder and manager at the Manchester and Cheshire Dogs’ Home, thinks that people are “…looking for something to fill their lives.” People are getting bored due to quarantine and lockdowns, so they look for a companion in a pet. Pet Assure says that pets help most people cope with the loneliness and isolation by offering companionship. Along with that, pets reduce stress and increase your serotonin, oxytocin, and dopamine, which are your brain’s “feel-good” chemicals. Basically, pets are what’s keeping people busy. By having pets, they’re keeping themselves occupied so they don’t feel as lonely or isolated during the pandemic.

If you don’t have a pet and you’re feeling isolated during the pandemic, getting one may be a good idea. 2020 has been a crazy year, but coping with the chaos is a little easier when you have a furry friend by your side (Related: if you’re still bored in quarantine, consider a new hobby).