The Benefits of Inter-Species Bonding
Did you know, that outside of just the joy of companionship, having an animal is shown to positively benefit their owners physical and mental well-being? In fact, dog owners suffer less from colds, flu and headaches, because they build up more resistance due to their daily walks!
We know we love our pets and we do our best to give them the most comfortable life possible, but do we realize how much they benefit our lives in return? Outside of just the joy of companionship, having an animal is shown to positively benefit their owners physical and mental well-being. Additionally, animals with specialized training such as; police dogs, rescue pets, guide dogs, assistance dogs, therapy animals, etc. create added value that is, in actuality, much higher than what may be included in the official gross domestic product, which is at best the cost of pet ownership. Furthermore, an estimated €1.5 - €3 billion is saved by the German health system as a result of pet ownership.
Studies have shown that owning a pet or having a service animal has a multitude of different mental and physical health benefits. Pet owners suffer less often from minor health problems and pet ownership is shown to lower the risk of heart attack as well as improve overall cholesterol levels in their owners. Additionally, they are reported as less lonely and frequently have lower stress levels than individuals without animals.
Overall, the life-satisfaction level of pet owners of all ages is higher and they are more optimistic in their daily life with older pet owners reporting greater ease in coping with radical changes in their lives as opposed to their peers without animals.
Other significant postive effects noted in seniors, there is a noticeably higher level of physical activity in seniors who own a pet than that of seniors without one. Additionally noticed in nursing homes, the average daily requirement of medicines decreases when animals are integrated into the overall care of the home's senior residents.
For dog owners in particular, it was discovered that:
- Dog owners suffer less from colds, flu and headaches, because they build up more resistance due to their daily walks.
- Dog owners generally have a much higher chance of surviving heart attacks than individuals without dogs.
- Dog owners less frequently have issues with their blood pressure.
- Older dog owners see a physician less often than peers without a dog.
Therapy dogs can also be a major contributer by inducing therapeutic effects in their owners such as; the normalization of blood pressure, overall improvement of personal drive, boosting of both mental and motor skills, overall stress relief as well as creating a diversion from physical pain and helping further learning of social behavior.
Children also benefit substantially with the presence of animals in their home life. Their psychological well-being is at a significantly higher level and their social interactions are strengthened by their interactions with the family pets'.
So remember, not only are we doing all we can to give our pets their best life possible, they are also helping give us our best life too!
