Dog owners agree: This pandemic bites

State Farm Insurance this month released data showing an increase in dog bites in 2020 as the country faced widespread shutdowns that experts say had much to do with poor dog behavior.

“Anxiety is a little up between kids, work, Zoom, that whole quarantine life. And the dogs are feeling that same anxiety and affect as well,” a San Diego State Farm agent told a reporter with the CBS affiliate in San Diego, which reported that “when people are stressed out at home, dogs can act out with barking, destroying and biting.”

Nationwide State Farm recorded an all-time high of 3,100 bites and more than $157 million in payouts, adding that the highest number of bites was recorded in March 2020 at the start of the lockdowns.

In addition to the stress at home, dog parks were closed during most of the lockdown and puppies were not able to develop social skills.

And the outlook is grim: the agent pointed out that many people adopted dogs during the pandemic, which means new pets may experience anxiety as their humans leave to go back to work and other activities.

More insurance and risk management news on the coronavirus crisis here.