Here is a useful article about how emotionally difficult it can be to lose and pet, and why:  Grieving for your Lost Pet

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The Power of Pawsitive Thinking Part 3 The common sense approach to pet ownership People have interacted with companion  animals since the beginning of history, and that interaction may  belong as much to the realm of common sense as to […]

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Science plus common sense One of the pioneers of PFT was Erika  Friedman, head of the Department of Health and Nutrition Sciences  at Brooklyn College. Even though there were obvious benefits to owning pets shown in many of the studies, […]

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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 […]

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Other links between health and pet ownership Another community-based study looked at home environments of elderly people with and without dogs (Dembicki & Anderson, 1996). In this cross-sectional, observational study, it was found that dog owners walked significantly longer than […]

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The Eden experiment-long term implications Thomas’ emphasis on environmental change in the Eden experiment is an excellent model for future investigations involving elderly people and companion animals. With a small research grant and creative thinking it was possible to simulate […]

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Although it is difficult to carry out scientific studies about the effects of pets on residents of nursing homes, a recent innovative effort by Thomas (1994) demonstrates it is possible. As medical director of a nursing home, Thomas decided to […]

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