Life is better when you share it with a pet. Ask anyone who owns one. They help us in more ways than we even realize. If you don’t have a pet yet, you may want to get one after reading. Here are 10 ways a pet can improve your life.
10. Pets Help Us Stay Fit
Pets, due to their playfulness, tend to make us get up and move when we otherwise might not. Not only does spending 30 minutes to exercise your dog help keep it fit, but it has the same benefit for you. Even rolling around on the floor with your cat has health benefits for both of you.
9. Pets Help Us Connect With Others
Pets often provide the impetus to get us out of the house. If our travels take us to public places, pets are often a conversation starter. Few people can resist stopping to pet a cute dog. This often leads to conversations and helps us meet similarly-minded people. It helps socialize the pet and also helps us avoid social isolation ourselves.
8. Pets Give Us Emotional Support
When a pet owner comes home, their pet greets them as if it’s the greatest event ever, like they haven’t seen them in years. No matter how stressed or emotionally drained we feel from the day, this greeting uplifts our mood. Pets have a way of pulling us into a better emotional space by offering their love and loyal support.
7. Pets Give Us Purpose
Our pets rely on us to care for their needs, which in turn, gives us a purpose. This can be helpful for those having difficulty finding meaning or enjoyment in life. Pets thrive on a routine, which forces us to keep up a consistent daily routine and not allow ourselves to become stagnant or withdrawn.
6. Pets Help Us Fight Disease
Owning a pet can help reduce the risk of heart disease, according to the American Heart Association. A 2020 study found a link between pet ownership and a lower prevalence of heart attack, coronary artery disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes, compared to non-owners. It also reduces stress. Regular exercise with a pet helps boost these health benefits.
5. Pets Help Children Develop
Children who grow up with pets learn compassion, empathy, and responsibility by helping to care for them. It also helps with difficult subjects such as illness and death. Studies have also found that children who grow up with dogs and cats have lower rates of allergies and asthma.
4. Pets Make Us Feel Less Lonely
For people of all ages today, loneliness is an epidemic. But it’s especially true for older people. The affections that come from dogs and cats help reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness. Pets can provide much-needed companionship, as they respond to our interaction. Petting them also satisfies the human need for physical touch.
3. Pets Entertain Us
Pets love to play and can be a great source of entertainment. Perhaps it’s a dog that loves to chase its tail or a cat that futilely tries to capture a flashlight beam on the wall. Pets can provide comic antics that we find hilarious. Laughter is an antidote to loneliness and depression.
Read More: How Pets Bring Us Closer to Nature
2. Pets Help Us Feel More Secure
Pets can provide you with a sense of security in your home. Just knowing your dog will bark if someone comes to the door, provides a level of comfort. Even if the dog would only wag its tail and lick an intruder, it alerts you to potential danger. Pets can also provide a secure feeling when walking with you outdoors.
Read More: What Every Dog Owner Should Know About Microchipping
1. Pets Make Us Better People
Because of their unconditional love, fierce loyalty, and their pure innocence, pets can improve our vision of the world and existence. In their own small way, pets can encourage us to live more with more gratitude and mindfulness. In turn, this can help us evolve into a better version of ourselves.
