6 Benefits Of Having A Pet
They love us unconditionally, they accompany us in our difficulties and in our joys. Having a pet provides quality of life, and brings us multiple benefits. Taking care of them requires a lot of responsibility, but the result is worth the effort; be it a more conventional pet, like a dog or a cat, or something more exotic, like an iguana, all entail improvements in the health of their owners.
When we are with our pet, we feel accompanied, even supported, and we also feel happier. Pets give, in many cases, a meaning to our life. And if we already love them unconditionally, these benefits will not separate us from them.
They lengthen our life
Taking your dog for a walk gives you an extra daily physical exercise ; changing the water to your goldfish keeps your mind active. This physical or mental exercise helps to keep the body active, our circulation is activated and the possibility of suffering from certain diseases decreases.
They help us overcome obstacles
They also help people with psychological problems, such as post-traumatic stress, to channel their emotions and give meaning to their lives. They can even help us avoid diseases: the smell of dogs and cats, for example, is much more developed than humans, so they are the first to detect changes at a chemical level in our body.
Some dogs are even trained to detect the symptoms of hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia in diabetic patients, in order to avoid major problems.
They avoid the feeling of loneliness and isolation
Our pets help us overcome the feeling of loneliness because, first of all, they keep us company. It is one of the many reasons seniors decide to have a pet, be it a dog, cat, or bird.
However, in addition to accompanying us, pets such as dogs help us to socialize more, since their care involves taking them out for walks often. People who have dogs end up socializing with other dog owners, since they share the same green spaces or paths.
Make us happier
Compliance with the care that a pet needs and, therefore, seeing them healthy and happy stimulates in us the secretion of dopamine and serotonin, two hormones related to happiness and well-being. Likewise, they reduce our levels of cortisol, the stress-causing hormone, which makes us feel calmer.
Stroking our pets (as long as their anatomy allows it) is also a good antidote to sadness, since it provides the same benefits.
They force us to be responsible
This is one of the best reasons to give children a pet: it forces them to take care of a living being, which largely depends on what they do. In this way they not only learn to relate to other species, but also to understand that they should be concerned about their well-being. This teaches them to be more empathetic not only with other animals, but with people as well.
Make us more immune
Having a pet, especially from childhood, exposes us to foreign allergens and pathogens, thus sensitizing our immune system. It can also reduce the chances of developing different types of allergies if we are exposed in the first years of life.
It is more than proven that animals make us happier, help us in our day to day life and are excellent companions for life. However, we need to be aware that having a pet is not having a toy, or an accessory. They are living beings that need us and depend on us.
That is why the number of abandonments of animals in our society is alarming, as well as the number of animals that are bought. If, as a society, we continue to abandon animals, but at the same time raising more and more for purchase, we will be putting the lives of many of them in danger. Adoption centers are also much more affordable, and the experience can give us the assurance that we are saving a life, that we are doing well.
After all, many are emotionally sensitive beings and rejoice and suffer with us. If we love them unconditionally, they will do the same for us.
