The Power of Pets

“Animals are such agreeable friends – they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms.”  — George Eliot

Humans are social creatures. We have talked about the power of relationships with people and the positive effect on our lives. There is another set of companions which can help improve our wellbeing: pets. Besides the obvious cuteness factor, there are physical and mental health benefits to owning or interacting with a pet.

Animals are awesome. No matter your preference of pet, they quickly become part of the family. It has been shown that those who own a dog walk more – almost 20 minutes more each week – than people who do not own one. Additionally, a retrospective longevity study found dog owners had greater survival after 12 months than people who did not live with dogs¹. In a poll, dog and cat owners almost equally report a mostly positive impact on their mental health². Animal therapy is gaining traction. Significant improvement in the severity of autism symptoms was reported when children rode horses for 24 weeks³. Residents with dementia who participated in weekly petting and grooming of a therapy dog showed stabilization of depression symptoms and agitation over 2.5 months⁴.

As we stated, pets are awesome, but before you rush out and get one (or three), please do your research. Pets bring joy and wellness benefits, but also require time and monetary commitments. Ensure you build any pet into your financial plan before just diving in. Obviously, we also highly encourage adopting. Perform the research, make a decision based on your need, then enjoy an animal companion for years to come.

Action: Reap the benefits animals bring by spending time with them this week.

Hint: You don’t need to own a pet to spend time with them. Offer to walk with a friend who has a pet. Volunteer at an animal shelter or farm. Feel free to get creative.

Further Reading:

1. Assessing the benefits and risks of owning a pet
2. Americans Note Overwhelming Positive Mental Health Impact of Their Pets in New Poll; Dogs and Cats Equally Beneficial
3. Prospective trial of equine-assisted activities in autism spectrum disorder
4. Animal-assisted therapy and agitation and depression in nursing home residents with dementia: a matched case-control trial