Health benefits of owning a pet
By Lauren Rey
The many ways pets improve our lives
While any pet owner will tell you that their pet makes life better, science has actually proven it! Whether by keeping us active and engaged, on track with our daily routines, or providing love and emotional support, there are many ways that pets improve our lives.
According to the CDC, pet owners can experience lower blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. Pets can also help with loneliness, stress, anxiety, and PTSD. The American Heart Association has also concluded that pets may help reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.
Pets play such an important role in our mental health that the American Veterinary Medical Association and American Psychiatric Association have teamed up to bring awareness to it. The “#Paws4MentalHealth” campaign encourages pet owners to spend more time with their pets and share their positive stories on social media. What’s better than scrolling your newsfeed flooded with cute pets and stories of how they improve our lives?
The health benefits of having pets don’t just end with dogs and cats. All pets can improve their owners’ lives, including small mammals, birds, reptiles, and even fish. Whether you have a furry, feathered, or scaly friend, they are most likely contributing to your overall health and well-being.
Physical health benefits of pets
Whether dog or cat, pet owners tend to get more physical activity than non-pet owners. Those extra steps taken during walks, games of fetch, filling food bowls, or scooping litter all add up at the end of the day.
Health benefits of having a dog
There’s no denying the power of the buddy system when it comes to exercise and dogs are one of the best accountability partners you can find. Day or night, rain or shine, dogs need to be walked! It’s much harder to skip that walk when your trusted companion is waiting patiently by the door for you and of course, we just want to make our dogs happy. The dog-human bond is unmatched! Whether they wanted to get moving or not, studies indicate that dog owners are more likely to meet physical activity guidelines than non-dog owners.
Studies show that on average, dog owners get 22 more minutes of walking per day than non-dog owners. Of course, many dog owners will often partake in other forms of dog-induced exercise as well. Weekend trips to the park, backyard games of fetch, and impromptu games of tug-o-war in the living room all add up to a healthier human and a happier pup!
Health benefits of having a cat
While cats may not get walks like dogs do, they still keep their owners active, engaged, and usually quite entertained with their adorable antics. From the natural stress relief of their peaceful purrs to laughing along while they work off a case of the zoomies, our feline friends are the best mood boosters!
Studies have shown that cat owners have a decreased risk of heart disease and stroke. Much of this is attributed to the notion that cats can help lower stress and blood pressure in their human counterparts.
Mental health benefits of pets
No matter the type of animal, the benefits of having pets can greatly impact your mental health. Pets can help their owners manage stress, anxiety, and depression. Interacting with an animal can even trigger physiological responses such as the release of oxytocin, the “love hormone” and lower cortisol the “stress hormone.”
One study showed that both humans and dogs can experience an oxytocin release while gazing into each other’s eyes. This gives a whole new meaning to the term “puppy dog eyes.” According to Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, just petting a dog or cat for 10 minutes can lower your cortisol levels.
Pets are known to be in tune with their owner’s emotions and can often sense when they are sad. Any pet owner will tell you their trusted companion is always there to lend a helping paw or a furry shoulder to cry on. For this and many other reasons, animals, particularly dogs have been used in emotional support settings for years.
Therapy dogs have been known to help with all sorts of challenges including depression and PTSD. They are even sometimes used in law enforcement to comfort crime victims or in hospital settings to provide comfort to patients.
Health benefits of pets for all ages
The advantages of pets can be seen across all ages but there are two age groups in particular that can have additional benefits of having pets in the home, children and older adults.
According to the Human Animal Bond Research Institute, pets can help children with cognitive and emotional development and encourage reading. Many children love to read to their pets! Pets can also help reduce stress and anxiety in children and provide additional comfort and support for learning disabilities. A child’s pet is often their first best friend in life!
Having children involved in the care of their pets (in adult-supervised and age-appropriate ways) can also encourage feelings of importance, empathy, and confidence. Several studies have also indicated that children raised around pets have stronger immune systems and fewer allergies.
Seniors and pets
Pets can be a great source of emotional support and companionship for older adults that may not have friends or family close by. The Human Animal Bond Institute reports that nearly 1 in 4 older adults experience some form of anxiety, depression, and social isolation. Animals can help reduce feelings of loneliness and promote socialization by getting out of the house to walk dogs or socializing with other seniors in animal-assisted therapy sessions. Just as with children, seniors may also experience improved cognitive function and reduced stress from being around pets.
Unfortunately, this population is also at an increased risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease and dementia which can make pet ownership difficult. This has led to the development of the robotic pet.
These faux cats and dogs appear lifelike and mimic natural behaviors like purring and barking as a way to provide pet therapy without the worry of walking and feeding.
Pets are family
Every pet owner will tell you their pet is no pet at all, but a member of the family! The human-animal bond is unbreakable. Our pets love us, protect us, and bring us so much joy and happiness.