Anyone who loves their pets will confirm that they’re not really pets – they’re part of the family. We take care of them, we love them, we spoil them. And as any pet owner will confirm, the love goes both ways. Research also shows that not only does your four-legged friend benefit from your love, having a pet is also good for your mental and physical health.
Here are 5 benefits of having a furry friend to care for:
1. Pets help children develop
A furry friend will help your child develop physically, socially and emotionally. According to an article in the Journal of Public Health, research in the UK showed that children with a dog exercise 11 minutes more a day than those without a pet. The saying that a dog is man’s best friend seems to be true after all, as pets help children socialise with other children.
‘Pet ownership appears to be a significant factor for facilitating social interaction and friendship formation within neighbourhoods,’ wrote Dr Lisa Wood, associate professor at the University of Western Australia, in a recent study via Harvard Health Publications.
According to the British Pet Health Council, pets also help children to have better self-esteem: ‘Children with low-self esteem may talk to, or confide in, an animal in ways they would not with people. They are often more confident in performing tasks they find difficult with an animal simply because the animal does not care if mistakes are made, and nor will the child be afraid of looking silly in front of the animal.’
2. Their presence prevents allergies and improves immunity
Research has shown that exposure to dogs early on in life may protect people from asthma and allergies later in life. ‘Early life exposure to dogs, and cats to a lesser extent, can protect against allergic sensitisation, and this has been shown in epidemiological studies,’ Susan Lynch, an associate professor of medicine at the University of California San Francisco in the US, told online publication Live Science.
Related: Quiz: what pet will suit you?
3. They can comfort their human friends
Veterinarian Dr Jessica Vogelsang recounts in her book All Dogs Go To Kevin: Everything Three Dogs Taught Me (That I Didn’t Learn In Veterinary School) (Grand Central Publishing) how her dogs helped her through difficult emotional times.
She explains how, when she was struggling with postpartum depression following the birth of her first child, and also dealing with the stress of a new career as a veterinarian, her golden retriever refused to leave her alone until she got (human) help.
She also tells how her terminally ill mother came to live with her and how her dog’s behaviour immediately changed. ‘He knew Mom was sick. He was with her 24-7,’ Vogelsang says.
4. They reduce stress
Playing with or petting an animal can increase levels of the stress-reducing hormone oxytocin and decrease production of the stress hormone cortisol. Researchers have also found that playing with pets can benefit physical health.
The research, published in the Dallas-based journal Hypertension, found that owners of pets could keep their blood pressure lower during times of mental stress than patients without pets.
5. They encourage you to get outside and get moving
It’s not only the little ones who get moving when there’s a furry friend around. Researchers from Michigan State University in the US found that 60% of adult dog owners who took their pets for regular walks qualified as having done moderate to vigorous exercise.
Nearly half of these dog walkers exercised an average of 30 minutes a day and for at least five days a week. In comparison, only about a third of those without dogs got as much regular exercise.
PHOTO: iStock/Kosamtu
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