The Effect of Pets on Humans
December 29, 2020
We all know that pets are cute, adorable, and fun to play with, but do we ever consider the effect they have on us? Many people adopt cats and dogs to fill a gap in their life, myself included. I think we all have an idea of their impact on us, but do we really know the magnitude of how much they affect our lives? Studies have shown that having pets in the house has many health benefits, including the following:
●Decreased blood pressure
●Decreased cholesterol levels
●Decreased triglyceride levels
●Decreased feeling of loneliness
●Increased opportunities for exercise and outdoor activities
●Increased opportunities for socialization
With all these benefits, you would think that everyone would have a pet, but these benefits are not very known to the general public. Only 67% of households in the US have pets. Of course, there are some obstacles like living in an apartment, allergies, or the price of adopting a pet. Pets also have healthy mental effects on children even. It helps them with higher self-esteem, and increased participation in social and physical activities, especially in absence of siblings, only children’s dogs are like their companions. Having pets at such a young age can help develop the necessary skills they need to succeed in life.
So next time you think of adopting a pet, realize that you’re not just helping the pet, you’re providing excellent benefits for your household and yourself.
Sources:
●https://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/health-benefits/index.html#:~:text=Studies%20have%20shown%20that%20the,Decreased%20cholesterol%20levels
●https://www.iii.org/fact-statistic/facts-statistics-pet-statistics#:~:text=Sixty%2Dseven%20percent%20of%20U.S.,year%20the%20survey%20was%20conducted.
●https://www.center4research.org/benefits-pets-human-health/
●https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2018/02/power-pets
