How Animals “Pawsitively” Impact our Health

In America alone roughly 70% of households own at least one pet and the chances are they have either a dog, cat, ​fish, or some combination of all three.

So how come about 90 million families own pets?

Well, the answer is simple when you look at the science which we will look at in the blog post and maybe convince you to add an animal companion to your own home!

Thinking of Getting a Pet?

The unconditional love from a pet treated well is not the only benefit to owning and taking care of a furry friend. Pets also reduce stress in the body, improve your heart health, and can even help children with their emotional and social skills as they are growing up.

Some research studies have found that people who have a pet stay home sick less often, make fewer visits to the doctor, get more exercise, and are less depressed.

In some studies (primarily with dogs and cats) interacting with our fluffy friends has been shown to decrease cortisol levels, lower blood pressure, reduce feelings of loneliness, increase feelings of social support, and give a great mood boosting effect. 

Large scale surveys are being done to find out the most common pets that people live with and how their relationship with their pets relates to their overall health and wellbeing. In addition to seeing-eye dogs and dogs that can be trained to detect seizures, animals can also be used in occupational therapy, speech therapy, or physical rehabilitation to help patients recover.

“There’s not one answer about how a pet can help somebody with a specific condition,” says Dr. Layla Esposito, who oversees NIH’s Human-Animal Interaction Research Program.

“Is your goal to increase physical activity? Then you might benefit from owning a dog. You have to walk a dog several times a day and you’re going to increase physical activity. If your goal is reducing stress, sometimes watching fish swim can result in a feeling of calmness. So there’s no one type that fits all.”

While it is true that people with pets often experience more substantial health benefits than those without, a pet doesn’t have to be a dog or a cat to bring about those benefits.

A rabbit could be the ideal pet if you’re allergic to other animals or have limited space but still want a furry friend to snuggle with. If not a snuggle buddy, birds can encourage social interaction and help keep your mind sharp if you’re an older adult. Snakes, lizards, and other reptiles can make for exotic companions for people of any age. Even watching fish in an aquarium can help reduce muscle tension and lower your pulse rate.  

 Throughout time pets have become more and more attuned to their human counterparts. A perfect example of this are dogs. They are able to understand many of the words humans use and are even better at interpreting our tone of voice, body language, and the gestures that we make.

A loyal dog does it’s best to look in your eyes, to gauge your emotional state and try to understand what you’re thinking and feeling. This alone is incredibly valuable to people who don’t feel as socially connected to other humans as they would like to be.

“The foundations of mindfulness include attention, intention, compassion, and awareness,” says Dr. Ann Berger, a physician and researcher at the NIH Clinical Center in Maryland. “All of those things are things that animals bring to the table. People kind of have to learn it. Animals do this innately.”

Another great benefit to owning a dog or multiple dogs is how it puts emphasis on your physical health and movement.

When owning a dog you are required to take at least one walk a day to give them exercise and attention, which of course leads to more exercise for you, and sometimes can make that exercise more enjoyable than if you were doing it alone.

Studies have actually shown us that dog owners are more likely to meet their daily exercise requirements and the daily exercise is also great for the dog as well! It helps to deepen your connection to your dog, eradicate many behavioral problems, and keeps you both fit and healthy.

Fun Fact(s):

• Heart attack patients with pets survive longer than those without pet companions. 
• Pet owners over the age of 65 make on average 30% fewer visits to their doctor than those without pets around.
• Criminals in prison show long term changes in their behavior after interacting with pets, such as experiencing mutual affection for the first time.

At the end of the day pets provide companionship that is essential for preventing illness and can literally add years to your life and vastly improve the overall quality of your life.

On the flip side, caring for an animal makes you feel cared for in return and can help take some emphasis off other issues in your life. Nothing beats feeling lonely or stressed out and then coming home to a loving animal. 

If you’re someone who struggles with routine, having an animal in your life will help you change that as they rely on routine and consistency. Having that consistent routine keeps animals balanced and calm, and will do the same for you as well.

Pet owners also have many opportunities to socialize and make new friends! Whether that’s during walks, hikes, going to the dog park, at the pet store, or in training classes. All of these places bring people together and unite them over their shared love of the animals in their lives.

Obviously getting an animal isn’t the right choice for everyone and we all have unique lives but if you’ve ever considered it, maybe this blog post helped you make up your mind.   

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