Pets and Your Wellness

Can you name one medication that can lower blood pressure, boost our immune system, increase motivation, lessen the impact of depression, help with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), decrease feelings of loneliness , elevate self-image, and help cultivate our ability to trust?

I can’t either, but these are just some of the benefits of having a healthy relationship with an animal companion. Really, in most instances having a pet is a healthy and healing experience, pets can also help people to be more social.

Early contacts between our ancestors and canines benefited both species, and a dependent relationship evolved. The animals first enjoyed food scraps and eventually accepted and enjoyed physical contact. Our human ancecters benefited by having a warning when intruders were approaching. Today it is estimated that about 50 million households have pets. Dogs and cats are most popular, but people also enjoy companion birds, fish, hamsters, rabbits, and more exotic pets like reptiles, hedgehogs and even tarantulas.

Pets can provide a significant source of emotional attachment that can be as important as the bonds formed between people, sometimes the bond with a pet can even be stronger than those with people, because bonds with many animals are perceived as unconditionally positive. Pets can be our most personal and trustworthy companions because they are always there for us regardless of how we look or feel. Knowing this, it is not surprising that an organization the Guardians of Rescue recently helped bring a soldier's dog to the U.S. from Afghanistan. We often gain structure to the day by caring for our pets. There are natural consequences for not taking the dog for a walk, after-all. We can demonstrate caring, nurturance, and love toward them, even when it seems like there is no one else available to receive or understand our love.

Of course, even with all the benefits of having a pet, it is not something to be entered into lightly. Pets need to be cared for, and not only fed, they also require grooming and veterinary care. Some people’s lifestyles are not suitable for some types of pets, so learning about how to keep a certain kind of pet healthy and happy is important as well as selecting a pet that will be good in your environment. Breeds of dogs that are known for barking and noisy parrots may not be the best choices for apartment dwellers, so do some research before getting a pet and consider getting a pet from a shelter. A person who smokes tobacco may want to stop before bringing a pet home, and make that part of “pet proofing” the home. Pets demand little from us, yet they are a source of immediate and consistent feedback, a benefit that is often hard to find in a world where more and more social interactions take place in cyberspace.