Five reasons why owning a pet is good for us
With more pets than people, Australians have one of the world’s highest pet ownership rates with 62% of us owning at least one pet. And if you’re wondering why we’re so pet mad, research has shown the benefits include companionship, improved mental wellbeing, lower stress and better heart health.
- Pets protect us from loneliness
We see our pet as part of the family. Their unconditional (and non-judgemental) love provides us companionship and help to lower stress and anxiety. Interacting with your pet increases feelings of social support and elevates mood.
Dog walking increases opportunities for social interaction. When walking outside, fellow dog walkers love to say hello and introduce themselves and their dog to you. Some cafes and restaurants and hotels are dog-friendly venues too. When travelling alone, it’s wonderful to be able to take your furry companion with you.
- Pets are good for our mental and physical well-being
Pet ownership brings responsibility and the need for skills to know how to best take care of them. These skills will extend to other animals, and other people. Children who have pets develop better social skills when interacting with their friends.
Dog owners enjoy lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol levels and less heart disease. While owning a dog is not fully protective, the benefit of all those dog walks are they keep you fitter, healthier and less stressed.
If you are unlucky enough to have a heart attack, your long-term survival rate is assisted by having a dog. While interacting with a pet for 10-12 minutes will lower your blood pressure.
One of the joys of owning a pet, is the pleasure they provide, and the feeling is mutual. Gazing into the eyes of your beloved pooch, boosts levels of oxytocin our bonding molecule. Our long-standing human-dog relationship was established over 30,000 years ago.
Patting or stroking our pets is soothing, especially their silky ears. This is relaxing and how delightful is it when your pet reciprocates with loud purring or offers their tummy for a rub?
- Pets are good for our immune system
You’ve probably heard about your gut microbiome that’s important to keep you healthy. Being a pet owner provides you a healthier microbiome and more robust immune system by promoting more of the beneficial bacteria and lowering the level of harmful, or pathogenic bacteria in our gut.
Not only that, stroking your pet raises levels of immunoglobulin A in your body that forms a physical barrier in the gut to protect you against potential invading pathogens.
In addition, pregnant mums with a pet in the household are less likely to have infants with childhood allergies, asthma or obesity.
- Pets help us cope better with pain and recovery from illness
Owning a pet has been shown to help manage chronic pain. Pets often sense when their owner isn’t well or in pain and will stay close by, which is very soothing.
Watching our pets play and their antics can serve as a useful distraction to our struggles with pain or illness. Having your pet with you (when allowed) in a hospital setting is reassuring and can lift your mood.
Animals can help in the work or learning environment. Some workplaces have an office pet policy where you’re allowed to have you pet stay with you while you work. This has been shown to be great for boosting staff morale, collaboration and overall happiness, while keeping work stress lower.
- Pets help us better manage our own self-care
Self-care is always important to stay fit and healthy but isn’t something we always find easy to do. This is where taking responsibility for a pet can help. Teenagers with type one diabetes when given goldfish to care for, did better in monitoring their own blood sugar levels, while having a pet have also been shown to help younger students stay focused and on task, and achieve higher academic results.
Pets enrich our lives in so many ways from improved mental well-being to lower stress, elevated mood and greater social support. Whatever type of pet you choose, remember the benefits will work both ways.
Dr Jenny Brockis is a board-certified lifestyle medicine physician, workplace health and well-being consultant, and author of The Natural Advantage (Major Street Publishing). www.drjennybrockis.com
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