THE bond between animals and owners is really powerful and, at times like these, many of us would be lost without the mood-boosting power of our pets, writes PDSA vet Anna Ewers-Clark.

Just like us, it’s important for our pets to keep fit and active during lockdown. It helps keep them in shape and is really important for their mental health too.

Daily walks and playtime with your dog will help to decrease boredom. Adult dogs need at least 30 minutes of exercise every day.

Longer walks are better, though this depends on age, breed and health. Giving your dog plenty to do at home, such as puzzle feeders and playing lots of games, will help keep them mentally active in-between walks.

Rabbits, like cats and dogs, can display unwanted behaviours - such as aggression - if they don’t have their needs met.

They need to run, hide, chew and dig and will do this in inappropriate places if they aren’t given the right resources, including plenty of hay, chew toys, space to run, shelter and a dig box.

Contrary to popular belief, rabbits don’t like living alone and loneliness can impact heavily on their mental health.

Companionship is really important to bunnies but, sadly, half of all pet rabbits in the UK live alone.

Generally, cats do not live well with other cats.

The stress of having to share their ‘territory’ can sometimes lead to serious medical problems such as cystitis and blocked bladders.

Aggression towards other cats and people, spraying urine, scratching carpets and begging for food can be symptoms of cat stress.

But many cats will suffer in silence with less than ideal situations, so prevention is better than cure.

It can be worrying when your cat stops behaving like themselves, especially if you don’t know what’s wrong.

Cats, like most animals, are sensitive to their surroundings and can be easily stressed. It’s important to be able to notice when your cat is showing signs of stress so you can help them.