Value and Benefit of Pet Ownership
Pets have the power to change lives.
Pets make our families, communities and even ourselves healthier and happier. Studies show that owning pets, or even having contact with animals, benefits our physical, social and mental health.
Pets Keep Us Active and Healthy
Dogs help us get off the couch and are great workout buddies. Owning a dog helps you be more active, reducing your risk of obesity and improving your physical health.
In general, sharing your life with any pet is proven to help reduce stress levels and lower blood pressure. Cat owners especially have a lower risk of death from cardiovascular diseases, including strokes.
Pets Help Us Make New Connections
Pets can help you meet new people. Taking a dog for a walk, liking and commenting on animal photos online, and joining animal clubs and groups are just a few ways our furry friends bring us together.
Pets are also proven to improve social interaction for people who are older and people living with Alzheimer’s disease.
Pets Make Us Feel Better
It’s no secret among pet owners that pets make life better. But did you know that pets can affect the chemistry in our brain? Positive human-animal interaction can lower major stress hormones, and increase oxytocin (often called the “love hormone”) levels.
Many people living with mental health issues find benefit in owning pets, as pets provide emotional support in times of crisis, a sense of purpose, a structured routine and companionship.
Pets Help Kids Learn and Grow
Caring for a family pet can help children learn important lessons about responsibility and commitment. Pets help children develop empathy and better emotional expression, and children with pets show increased trust, community feeling, safety and self-confidence.
Being exposed to pets at an early aged also reduces the risk of allergies in children.