Hi mandoblue,
Thank you for a very interesting question.
BestFriendsPetCare.com - (9 reasons)
http://www.bestfriendspetcare.com/bf_feature_14.cfm
- Pet owners have lower blood pressure
It has long been known that the act of stroking a pet can reduce
blood pressure. But a study at the State University of New York at
Buffalo found that the beneficial effects continue even when the pet
is not present. The study, which looked at a group of stockbrokers
with hypertension, concluded that just owning a pet can help lower
blood pressure -and keep it lower, even in stressful settings.
- Pet owners have lower blood cholesterol levels
A study of more than 5,400 people conducted by Australia's Baker
Medical Research Institute found that pet owners had not only lower
blood pressure, but also lower levels of blood cholesterol and
triglycerides in comparison to the non-pet owners, reducing the risk
of heart disease.
- Pet owners have a higher survival rate after serious illness
Two studies have found that heart attack patients who owned the pets
were significantly more likely to be alive a year after they were
discharged from the hospital than those who didn't. What's more, a
study conducted at City Hospital in New York found that the presence
of a pet affected survival rate even more than having a spouse or
friends. Patients in hospitals or nursing homes who have regular
visits from their pets have shown to be more receptive to treatment.
The need to care for their pet gives them reason to recover and the
will to live.
- Pet owners have fewer doctors' visits
Two studies have found that heart attack patients who owned the pets
were significantly more likely to be alive a year after they were
discharged from the hospital than those who didn't. What's more, a
study conducted at City Hospital in New York found that the presence
of a pet affected survival rate even more than having a spouse or
friends. Patients in hospitals or nursing homes who have regular
visits from their pets have shown to be more receptive to treatment.
The need to care for their pet gives them reason to recover and the
will to live.
- Pet ownership reduces loneliness
People who live alone find that having pets reduces feelings of
loneliness. According to researchers, this occurs because the pet
provides companionship, but also because the pet becomes a topic for
conservation with other people, increasing social interactions. Pet
therapy programs at nursing homes are credited with enabling patients
to reach out beyond their own pain and isolation and start caring
about the world around them again
- Pet ownership fights depression
A study of AIDS patients conducted by UCLA, in 1999 found that pets
provide a level of companionship that helped the patients cope with
the stress of their illness. The study looked at more than 1,800
patients and found that those who did not have a pet were more than
twice as likely to report symptoms of depression. And scientists in
South Africa have conducted research that shows that a pet can serve
as an anti-depressant, increasing the release of endorphins and other
hormones tied to pleasure.
- Pet ownership helps us cope with stress
A study of breast cancer patients conducted at the University of
Warwick in England found that pets can provide valuable support for
women coping with cancer. Researchers found that in addition to
tactile comfort, pets provided a relationship that, unlike many human
relationships, was unaffected by the presence of a serious illness.
The ASPCA is currently studying the value of the human-animal bond
during times of tragedy, by investigating how family pets impacted
people's lives during and after the events of September 11, 2001.
- Pet ownership aids childhood development
Studies have linked family ownership of a pet with high self-esteem
in young children and greater cognitive development. In addition,
children with pets at home score significantly higher on empathy and
pro-social scales than non-pet owners.
- Pet owners enhance family life
Psychological studies have found that most pet owners view their pets
as enhancing the quality of family life by minimizing tension between
family members and by enhancing their owners' compassion for living
things. One survey of U.S. families found that pets were of great
importance during personal or family illness, death of friends and
family members or a family crisis.
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APPMA
http://www.appma.org/press_industrytrends.asp
[Scroll to bottom of page to Health Benefits:]
- Pets Help to Prevent Heart Disease Because pets provide people with
faithful companionship, research shows they may also provide their
owners with greater psychological stability, thus a measure of
protection from heart disease. (National Institute of Health
Technology Assessment Workshop: Health Benefits of Pets)
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BetterHealthChannel - Dog Walking - the health benefits
http://www.disability.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Dog_walking_the_health_benefits?open
- People who walk their dogs are seen by other people as friendly and
approachable.
- The non-judgemental companionship and unconditional love offered by
pets is known to have considerable mental health benefits for owners,
including increased self-esteem."
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Pet Therapy Holisticonline.com
http://holisticonline.com/Pets/pets_dogs-and-pets-provide-health-benefits.htm
"There is new research that suggests that dogs may be able to detect
certain types of cancer. Researchers at the Pine Street Foundation in
San Anselmo, California and the Polish Academy of Sciences exposed
dogs to breath samples from breast and lung cancer patients and
samples from healthy people. They claim that the dogs were able to
detect cancer with astonishing results and accuracy."
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QuakerOatmeal.com - Wellness & Nutrition
http://www.quakeroatmeal.com/wellness/articles/FH_Pets.cfm
"Animals can be trained to help people with disabilities. Service dogs
have been trained to help people with a variety of disabilities, such
as paralysis or vision or hearing impairments. These dogs undergo
specialized training that helps them learn valuable skills that allow
their owners to maintain their independence. Service dogs can do tasks
such as guiding people who are visually impaired, alert people who are
hearing impaired to certain sounds, or retrieve dropped items, open
doors, and assist with balance."
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http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3035327
http://wcvb-tvpet.ip2m.com/index.cfm?pt=itemDetail&Item_ID=12858&Site_Cat_ID=393
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keyword search:
health body mind benefits dog pet ownership
how do dogs improve health
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Best regards,
tlspiegel |
