People and Pets

Are there any human health benefits in owning a pet?

As a nation of pet lovers, we share our homes with 7.3 dogs and 7.2 million cats. Almost half of all UK households own a pet and it will come as no surprise to animal lovers that research shows that pets are good for our health. Scientific research testifies to this 'pet power' and budgies, gerbils, rabbits, cats, dogs and fish all have their part to play. Contact with animals can bring real physiological and psychological benefits: reducing stress, lowering blood pressure, aiding recovery and boosting chances of survival after a life-threatening illness.

Pets can play an important role in people's lives and they are often referred to as 'one of the family'. As well as providing a constant source of enjoyment, friendship and fun, many pets thrive in a family and household environment.

What's more, an increasing wealth of research is proving that pet ownership has considerable health benefits. One of the more obvious benefits is that of exercise - dog walking or playing with a cat is a great way for people to burn a few more calories. In addition, contact with animals can bring real physiological and psychological benefits: reducing stress, helps preventing illness and allergies, lowering blood pressure and aiding recovery.

Stress busting and a healthy heart
Studies have shown that pet owners have measurable lower levels of cholesterol and blood pressure (where not linked to dietary changes). Interestingly, an American study found that men who own cats or dogs have lower resting heart rates and blood pressure than those who don't.

And the benefit of pet ownership isn't limited to physical well-being. A UK study exploring how pets could help recently widowed people in dealing with stress showed that three months after bereavement, pet owners showed fewer physical symptoms, such as crying, than non-pet owners. The pet owners were able to talk to their animals at a time when they felt unable to share their feelings with other people.

A speedy recovery
In addition to reducing stress and therefore helping people avoid high blood pressure, pets can also aid recovery from illness. Research indicates that owning a pet can improve a person's chances of survival after a life-threatening illness such as a heart attack. Pet owners were also found to use the medical services considerably less frequently than non-pet owners.

A recent UK study looked at women between 50-60 years of age recovering form breast cancer. 87 per cent of the women reported that their pets filled at least one important role in their social support while 43 per cent reported that that their pets fulfilled more than 10 important support functions - being cared for, tactile comfort, an outlet for expression of feelings and still feeling included socially - e.g. when taking the dog for a walk.

Puppy love is good for kids
A five year study of 600 children aged 3-18 years revealed that pet owning children who are slow learners or whose parents have divorced cope better with life than those who don't have a pet. Scientists found that the children have higher levels of self-esteem and function better emotionally than those without pets.

Some teachers have now introduced pets into the classroom to positively stimulate the social integration and social competence of children. Children with learning disabilities and behavioural disorders such as autism, for example, show immediate benefits from animal assisted therapy. Pets As Therapy is a charity which arranges the visits of pets to hospitals (and residential homes) so that those in need can benefit. For more information on the benefits of owning pets for children please click here.

No more sneezing
It is traditionally thought that allergy sufferers shouldn't have a furry or feathered friend. However, recent scientific evidence suggests that the opposite may hold true and pets have an important role to play in building up a child's immune system. Children who live with a cat or dog in their first years of life have a lower incidence of hay fever and asthma and are less likely to develop animal-related allergies. Recent studies also show that the immune systems of children (particularly between the ages of five and eight) of pet-owning families are more stable than those of children from non-pet owning families - the result being that making pet-owning children are better able to fend off illness. (see PHC 'Pets & Allergies' leaflet on this website).

The latest research
New research was presented at the 10th International Conference on Human Animal Interaction in October 2004. This was the first time this triennial conference came to the UK.

Some of the highlights are summarised below:

A PET ALL DAY KEEPS THE DOCTOR AWAY - Bruce Headey, Melbourne, Australia
A large-scale survey of more than 11,000 Australians, Chinese and Germans proved pet-owners enjoy better health. Over a five year period, pet owners made 15 - 20% fewer annual visits to the doctor than non pet-owners. Results showed that the healthiest group - those who went to the doctor least - was those who continuously owned a pet. The next healthiest group had obtained a pet during the study period, having not had one before. The least healthy groups were people who had never owned a pet, or no longer did.

KIDS WITH PETS TAKE FEWER SICK DAYS - June McNicholas, Scotland
Dr June McNicholas, a health psychologist, presented findings of a study which examined 256 children (aged five to eleven years) in three schools in England and Scotland. The key findings were:

• Absenteeism through illness was significantly less among pet-owning children
• Children in reception and Year 1 classes had 18 per cent and 13 per cent better attendance respectively than non-pet owning children
• Pet-owning children attended school for an additional three weeks extra school compared to non-pet owning children (aged five to seven years).

CATS CHEER CHILDREN AND ELDERLY PEOPLE - Emma Osborne, UK
A study of 500 cat owners aged over 55 years old conducted by the Cats Protection revealed:

• 82% found that their cat helped them overcome feelings of stress
• 62% said cat ownership helped overcome feelings of loneliness
• 75% sometimes preferred to share their feelings with their cat rather than a partner or friend.

The same survey also looked at 100 younger cat owners aged 13 years and under:

• 80% said their cat helped them get on better with family and friends
• 81% said they would rather chat to their cat about their feelings, than to their mum, dad or a friend
• 87% of children regard their cat as a 'close friend'.

Another study surveyed 100 people aged 20 - 40 year olds and confirmed tolerance towards cats may exceed tolerance toward human relationships:

• Nearly half of respondents enjoyed a better night's sleep with their cat on the bed than they did with their partner in the bed!
• 60% said they could put up with their cat's bad breath but not their partner's
• 55% would tolerate their cat taking most of the bed covers at night but not their partner doing that.

PETS PREVENT PRISONERS REOFFENDING - Joan Dalton, Oregon, USA
The therapeutic power of dog interaction has been highlighted by the results of Project Pooch (Positive Opportunities, Obvious Change, With Hounds), showing that 100% of teenage offenders following a dog therapy programme did not return to the correctional system. Demonstrating many behaviour problems such as being out of control, dislike for authority and poor social manners, problem youths are paired with problem dogs so that they can learn acceptable behaviour from each other. Results provide promising outcomes for the ability of dogs to teach troubled youth responsibility, patience, compassion and a positive work ethic.

For more information, read our leaflet 'The Health Benefits of Pets' that can be downloaded from this website and visit the SCAS research articles.