Pets are good for us: it's something all we pet owners have
known for years. Now we have research to support our claims.
Walking a dog regularly provides great
exercise benefits. Pets in general are wonderful for all manner of
health issues, ranging from weight management to improved bone
density to helping reducing blood pressure and cholesterol.
Pets also help ease our stress and tension.
Inadvertently, pets can take centre stage during stressful
situations - they'll break the ice and promote laughter with their
antics.
This in turn promotes human contact - how
many films have you seen where the boy meets girl thanks to the
dog's antics?
They won't cure cancer or heart disease, but
they make people happy - the madly wagging tails, over the top
greetings, hilarious antics and unconditional love can do wonders
for seriously ill patients whilst also alleviating depression. Dog
ownership can even increase the odds of survival for people who
have had a heart attack.
Pets offer a sense of peace, calm and
normality that cannot always be found in human relationships. Many
women recovering from breast cancer said their pets were an
important part of their support network. They also said that their
pets made them feel cared for, offered tactile comfort, helped them
express their feelings and still made them feel socially
included.
A pet is a living and breathing being who
depends on people for its wellbeing. For the human, it provides
structure and a duty of care: you have to feed it, take it to the
vet, empty the litter box and much more.
Guide dogs for the blind, dogs who visit
nursing homes to bring happiness and a sense of calm to residents
or resident cats in nursing homes - all of these pets perform a
crucial role in society, providing guidance, assistance and a sense
of calm.