Can a Pet Prolong Your Life?

            I was interested in an article about pets, because I have one of my own. I came across an article about pets and health, and it sparked my interest.

Animals have been domesticated for thousands of years. People have been loved by pets for thousands of years. In fact, this article states that dogs have been domesticated for around 8,000 years. But can having a pet keep you healthier? Recent studies have revealed that having an animal companion can keep you happier.

This is a very interesting discovery, because many people have pets. In fact, in a 2011 survey, humanesociety.org revealed that there are 86.4 million owned cats and 78.2 million owned dogs in the United States. there are  It’s no secret that pets give you unconditional love. So it makes sense that a pet could possible keep you healthier. In my opinion, health is slightly mental, so a happy person is more apt to be healthy than a sad person.

A study was performed by University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine Research Center for Human-Animal Interaction (ReCHAI, more info on ReCHAI here) about such a topic. ReCHAI paired some seniors with a dog, and paired others with another human. It was proven that having a pet improved the seniors’ abilities to walk by 28 percent, while the people who walked with another human had their walking abilities only raised by 4 percent. The reasons given were that a human came up with excuses on why not to take a walk, while the pets never came up with an excuse to stay at home. One would imagine that these people would me more apt to exercise in the future, and could possibly extend your life. Which is obviously a good thing.

After reading a study like this, it makes me wonder why all seniors don’t have pets. If it makes you happy, and can also make you healthier, what do you have to lose? Nothing, in my opinion. Pets are there for you no matter what, and pets also can make a bad day good, at least for a while. I know that I’m going to have a pet as long as I live. Whether it is a cat, a dog, or any other furry creature, I know I’m going to want an animal to brighten my life. Because that’s what they do.

Again, there’s nothing to lose by owning a pet. Don’t you WANT to live longer? Do you WANT to be happy? I think most people do, so I think everybody should get a pet.

 

6 thoughts on “Can a Pet Prolong Your Life?

  1. I thought your article was well written with interesting facts, I enjoyed how you gave examples and data with your blog. According to my link I found: http://pets.webmd.com/ss/slideshow-pets-improve-your-health pets can expand your lifespan. In my article it was proven that if you have a heart attack you have a greater risk of recovering after a heart attack if you have a pet. I also found in my link that therapists have been known to prescribe a pet as a way of dealing with and recovering from depression. Another fact was people who own dogs tend to be more physically active and less obese than people who don’t. I agree with this article and I enjoyed it, because it was nicely written.

  2. I have no doubts about this. Pets definitly give people a sense of purpose and give them something to live for. Pets have been known to provide many physical and psychological benefits. Caring for an animal gives the oppurtunity to stay active and mobile and, for Alzheimer’s patients, helps them stay in the “here and now.” Blood pressure is often decreased along with cholesterol. Senses of lonliness and depression are lowered. Many of these effects lead to a longer life.

    http://elibrary.bigchalk.com/elibweb/curriculum/do/document?set=search&dictionaryClick=&secondaryNav=&groupid=1&requestid=lib_standard&resultid=8&edition=&ts=1BDADF356E1738E50B24FFC0BD9271CE_1326293609007&start=1&publicationId=&urn=urn%3Abigchalk%3AUS%3BBCLib%3Bdocument%3B158578437

  3. I agree with your blog that pets do make people healthier and happier. I have also heard of animal assisted therapy and would be a great addition to your blog. Animal assisted therapy specializes in using certified animals to promote health, hope, and healing for people with illnesses both physical and physiological. Animals have also been used in work with autistic children. The results have been astounding.

    http://www.therapet.com/

  4. I, as a pet owner, have to agree with you on the fact that pets do make you healthier. I also think that your mental state affects health in some way. I think it is smart to own a pet; they’re a lot of work but they are very worth it. I have done some research and there are many benefits of having babies around pets. Babies who live with a pet in the house are less likely to have allergies to animals and are also less likely to get eczema. Owning a pet at a young age could potentially raise the immune system. Pets can bring their owners back to a healthy lifestyle. Pets can lower blood pressure and cholesterol. This is because I pet will be more likely to want to get out of the house and exercise. A pet is a great companion to have not only for the love and friendship they provide but also for the lifelong benefits their energetic nature can give.

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