I am of the firm belief that everyone needs a pet. Whether it’s a dog, cat, bird or goldfish, I’ll go farther to say that a house is not a home without a pet.
A huge body of research confirms that people with pets have healthier hearts, stay home sick less often, make fewer visits to the doctor, get more exercise, are less depressed, have a greater sense of social support and more social interactions with other people. In these COVID times, all of these health benefits add up to a strong argument for putting up with a bit of stray hair in your home or the occasional puppy pee accident.
Actually COVID and the search for companionship and COVID isolation led to a surge in pet adoptions that. Practically overnight, shelters emptied, especially of puppies, as lonely people in isolation realized they had the time and inclination to take on a new family member. I’m a strong advocate of adopting pets from shelters. All of our dogs are rescues, including LunaTick, our somewhat contentious shelter dog, whom we love to distraction despite her occasional political opinions expressed with deposits of bodily wastes in wrong places and her fear of other dogs.
Since the COVID crisis has diminished, many of these newly adopted fur family members are being surrendered to shelters, sometimes because human family members are no longer at home to care for them or there are behavioral problems connected to separation anxiety.
But back to your health and what your pet contributes to it.
Contrary to popular opinion, pets have a positive impact on allergies and asthma. Oldthink said that furry pets caused allergies, especially in children. Today’s science proves that not only do children living in homes with furry pets have two-thirds fewer allergies and asthma, they have stronger immune systems precisely because the immune response is challenged by pet fur and the bacteria in the soil.
Here are some more healthy reasons to bring a pet into your life:
A healthier heart: Lower blood pressure, cholesterol and triglyceride (blood levels) add up to a healthier heart and several studies who that people who have had heart attacks survive longer if they have pets.
Good news for older people: Some studies show that people with Alzheimer’s disease respond more calmly and have fewer emotional outbursts if there is a pet in the home. Plus, having a dog at least requires some exercise and getting out of the house into the fresh air is good for everyone.
A happier frame of mind: Especially in these times when many of us are so isolated, it’s great to have a companion, a resident clown and even someone to talk to. Yes, I do talk to my dogs and they answer.
People with pets have lower stress levels and less release of the stress hormones cortisol, adrenaline and norepinephrine. People with pets have mower levels of depression probably because of the companionship, unconditional love and improved feelings of self-worth they offer.
They might even get you a date, if you’re looking for one: Anybody who has walked a dog know that dog lovers will interact with you quite naturally. They are a great topic for discussion, they open doors to new friendships and maybe more, if that’s what you’re looking for.
Here’s a great ending to this piece: I had an elderly friend who was experiencing some walking problems and he decided it was time for him to enter a senior living facility. Fortunately, this particular facility was very pet friendly, so Bill got an incredibly sweet and cute Cavalier King Charles spaniel he named Winnie. On his first trip back to the neighborhood after entering the facility, Bill was uncharacteristically lively,
“What’s going on with you, Bill?” I asked.
He leaned over and charmingly, but politically incorrectly whispered in my ear, “I’ve got more dates than I know how to handle. Winnie is a chick magnet.”
Bill is gone now, but Winnie was still around for many years living with Bill’s daughter in our neighborhood. Every time I saw Winnie, I remembered her fondly as a “chick magnet.”
What are you doing this weekend? Why now take a ride over to your local shelter and see who calls out to you.
