The Health Benefits of Pet Ownership
The Health Benefits of Pet Ownership
Today’s post strays from the nutrition aspect and dives into overall health, wellness, and quality of life.
I’ve previously done a post about the single healthiest thing you can do for your health, and while that ended up being a summary of several things, I neglected to mention a big one.
And this one isn’t up for debate, and it isn’t an opinion – there is research to support this thing that can potentially improve your health, wellness, and quality of life.
Pet ownership.
If you have ever met me, it takes about five minutes before I talk about my dogs. I currently own three rescue dogs and started with a rescue in 1996. After our rescue Dalmatian died after being with us for 13 years, I said never, ever again. I could not go through that heartbreak again. Ever. That was in 2009.
Max, Blue, and Scruffy - our three rescue dogs and family members.
It took a few years, but in 2013 I adopted a Dachshund mix (Max) from our local Dachshund Rescue. A couple of years later, another one from that same group came to us. Our second one presented as a deaf pup (Blue), and our Dalmatian had also been deaf his whole life. So because of the combination of previous experience with a differently abled dog and having already been an adoptive family with this same group, he was ours. So we were now a family with two dogs.
I called them my employees who sleep on the job, one as security and the other as customer service. Then a week after completing my cookbook and submitting it to the publisher, my husband rescued a small dog (Scruffy) from the side of the interstate near the AZ-NM border, and the next thing we knew, we were a three-dog household. I resisted. But here I am, nearly four years later, with three dogs.
So, here is the deal. Does a dog, cat, turtle, ferret, snake, bird, bearded dragon, or other pet help with our overall health, wellness, and quality of life?
Would I be writing this if there wasn’t evidence of this?
We know that animals provide emotional support, including those with PTSD and anxiety. For example, there are seizure-alert dogs, diabetic-alert dogs (that can detect high or low blood sugar), and dogs that can detect cancer. Some other animals can do this, but they aren’t as comforting as dogs (opinion). They include fruit flies, mice, and rats. However, some rats may not be so bad.
While we don’t know the exact reason, it seems that people who own pets have less illness and tend to have better mental health by helping to relieve depression and anxiety symptoms. Of course, it isn’t a cure, but they can help us.
Research also suggests that animals reduce cardiovascular disease risk, including high blood pressure. While there is a theory that people who own animals (specifically dogs) will exercise more, that doesn’t appear precisely as cause and effect. My dogs insist on a daily walk, which is suitable for all of us, but it isn’t high-impact or a type of exercise that increases the heart rate, so there isn’t too much cardio. But it is getting us out of the house every single day of the year.
Granted, some people may not benefit from pet ownership.
They are costly. Did you know that dogs now need a dental cleaning?
They need attention. Several dogs in my neighborhood have never seen past their backyard.
Some are fine with being left alone for hours, and some prefer it. I’m looking at the cats and snakes. When caring for a family member’s cat, she chose to be left alone for at least 23 hours out of the day.
So, if you can handle it, consider a pet to help your health. And consider theirs too. Don’t just get a dog or cat or another pet because you want a dog, cat, or pet. Don’t get one and leave it to fend for itself.
Get a dog, cat, or other pet because you are ready for another family member. But are you prepared to treat them as family members? Seriously – don’t be one of those people who gets a dog and then leaves it in the yard all the time. It won’t help your overall health, wellness, and quality of life there.
