Pet Benefits

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“Over 71 million American households [about 62%] have a pet, with most people considering their pets as members of the family (Cadciotti and Zuckerman)”. Pet ownership has become increasingly common. They are often thought of as companions and just another member of the family but they can be so much more. They provide many other great benefits to the people they interact with. “ Some research studies have found that people who have a pet have healthier hearts, stay home sick less often, make fewer [doctor visits], get more exercise, and are less depressed (Cadciotti and Diana Zuckerman)”. Pet owners can definitely see the benefits that come from interacting with animals. They interact with their pets on a daily basis and receive much love …show more content…

These physical benefits can range from certain health issues to simply increase in amount of exercise. Interacting with animals can increase opportunities for exercise and other outdoor activities which are an important aspect of one’s health. For those who have pets such as dogs, walking can be a form of exercise for them. Walking your dog daily can provide good exercise for you and your dog and can also serve as a good bonding experience between you and your dog. The physical benefits for other animals may not seem as obvious. When interviewed, Kim Niggel, executive director of Coastal Therapeutic Riding Program, has seen physical benefits such as an increase in strength and flexibility for horse riders. Additionally, animals can aid in alleviating the effects of health problems that humans face. They can lower blood pressure and also lower the risk of heart disease. Pet writer, Maryann Mott, reported for National Geographic News that “Studies have shown that physiological changes occur when people touch dogs: a drop in heart rate, lower blood pressure, and reduced stress.” By touching and interacting with animals, people can reap these benefits. They can even reap these benefits by simply having an animal present within the environment. “ A...study found that having your dog in the room lowered blood pressure better than taking a popular type of blood pressure medication… (Cadciotti …show more content…

Mental health seems to be something that is quite overlooked, but merely by interacting with animals, a person’s level of stress and anxiety can decrease on a daily basis. According to Teoh Hsien-Jin, “The effects of having pets present has been found to generally produce a more positive effect on those who are depressed, suicidal and withdrawn. In addition, some settings have noted that even violent patients have calmed down with the presence of pets (para. 15)”. Even those who may come into the interaction without necessarily liking animals can even grow to share a bond with them and benefit from this. A bond between human and animal can fulfill both human and animal needs. According to Andrea et al., studies have provided “...direct evidence that interaction with a friendly companion animal... [can] positively affect endocrine responses as indicated by changes in the levels of cortisol, epinephrine and norepinephrine, suggesting an attenuation of stress responses via [Human-Animal interaction]. Epinephrine is a crystalline sympathomimetic hormone that is the main blood-pressure raising hormone released by the medulla of the adrenal glands. Norepinephrine is a hormone that causes the constriction of blood vessels and is located in the adrenal medulla, and is an antecedent of epinephrine in its major biosynthetic pathway (Merriam-webster). Although animals can serve as therapy in physical and

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