Sociological Study of the Phenomenon of Keeping Pets (Case Study: Ahvaz City- 2022)

The purpose of this article is to study and sociologically analyze the phenomenon of keeping pets among the citizens of Ahvaz in 2022. In this qualitative research, interpretive phenomenology method, purposeful sampling and in-depth and semi-in-depth interview technique with 17 citizens of Ahvaz have been used to collect information. All interviews were recorded, immediately implemented and analyzed using an interpretative approach (thematic analysis). The findings include 80 semantic expressions, 38 basic concepts and 9 main categories of "creating a secure attachment style", "Increasing love and interest, happiness", "Formation of an Interspecies parenting family", "Increasing social and personal connections", "Powerful influence of media and bloggers in reflection modern culture", "Weakening of religious beliefs and convictions", "Unrecognition of pets", "Unfavorable economic conditions and financial future" and "Weakening of social capital". According to the findings, keeping pets is a suitable answer to the problem of loneliness and filling the free time of their owners. New social conditions including the transformation of lifestyles and the availability of technology, have caused some citizens to show interest in interacting with others.