Why You Should Own a Pet
What can owning a pet actually do for you? Besides the fact that they can be annoying
and need a lot of necessities that require money. There are a number of proven health benefits for
people who own pets, including physical, mental, and emotional improvements. These
improvements can start from simply enhancing a person’s social skills to decreasing a person’s
risk of heart attacks, providing better personal experiences, all the way to helping kids and elders
to feel relaxed and easily develop mutual trust.
Pets do more for you than you may think, besides all the health benefits that derive from
pets, they can also serve as a good ice breaker in a conversation. For example, in the time you
take your dog out to the park, just on a walk, or to the vet you’ve been provided with a multitude
of opportunities to meet and talk to other people. Studies have shown that people walking a dog
have far more positive encounters with others than those out walking alone, which makes since.
Pets are an outstanding social lubricant, typically providing an easy topic of conversation. (Pet
Health Council p.1) Many other studies have been conducted on how pets can benefit their
owners. The centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institute of Health have
both conducted heart-related studies on people who have pets. The findings showed that pet
owners exhibit decreased blood pressure, cholesterol and triglyceride levels. All of which can
ultimately minimize their risk for having a heart attack. (Mccandless p.4) Even for those who
have already had a heart attack, the research indicates that patients with a dog or a cat tend to
have better recovery rates.
My experiences with pets have been great. I have had one since I was just a few months
old and I don’t think I will go too long without one in the future. Now don’t get me wrong, I
think kittens are adorable, but I’m a dog person and honestly whether you’re a man or not, a dog
will always be your best friend no matter what. Growing up, my pets were always there for me to
hug when I was sad or just to talk to when I needed a friend. My favorite part was that they
couldn’t run and tell mom if I said something I shouldn’t have. Even though they never replied
and sometimes tried to get away, I always felt better. Regardless of how crazy you think I am for
talking to my animals, I’m not making this up. Not only are they known to offer unconditional
love, but they can also give their owners a sense of purpose. Pets also combat feelings of
loneliness by simply providing companionship, which can boost overall mood and even bring
you feelings of happiness and joy which overall leads to relaxation.
