There’s no shortage of good news about the effect of pets on human health. Many articles present pet ownership as a key to heart health, social support, and long life; and many people do get a pet—or urge their aging parents to get one—for the health benefits.
In one study in 2003, researchers at the State University of New York at Buffalo found that married couples who owned pets had a lower heart rate and blood pressure—whether at rest or when undergoing stressful tests—than those without pets.
Last May 2004 at a seminar in Portugal, the Federation of European Companion Animal Veterinary Surgeons emphasized the many health benefits of pet ownership. But they also alluded to some negatives.
We can look at both sides of the question in this article.
The health benefits of pet ownership are manifest for people who like animals, and most of us do—at least friendly, clean, nonthreatening animals. Dogs and cats are generally more affectionate and entertaining as pets than, say, fish or birds or ferrets, though many delight in those animals, too.
A dog is generally the most responsive pet, and walking a dog provides exercise benefits at both ends of the leash. (City people have been known to walk their cats, but it’s not as good a workout.)
Dogs and cats promote human contact—you communicate with other pet owners. Boy-meets-girl-via-dog is a film cliché.
Besides that, a pet gives you something to care for and thus provides some structure for your life—you have to set out the food, visit the vet, clean the cage, empty the litter, and so on.
A pet often takes center stage at family gatherings, easing tensions and/or providing an immediate conversational outlet. And, of course, dogs can be trained for useful work—aiding the visually impaired, for example. Even the most pampered cat can help rid your home of mice.
Pets also have a calming effect on most people. Nursing homes now arrange for pets to visit residents, and some facilities keep pets on the premises.
Even the government approves of pets—the National Institutes of Health conducted a workshop almost 20 years ago on the health benefits of pets and pet-facilitated therapy (PFT). Conclusion: these benefits exist, particularly for the elderly.
Continued in The Power of Pawsitive Thinking Part