MOST households own a cat or a dog, others own atypical kinds of pets. While it seems to be a norm, owning a pet is also an underrated therapy. Seeing people hurt animals can be heartbreaking for those who understand what they can offer. In my case, they have unintentionally kept me alive.
After my mother’s passing last year, I transferred to another city to live on my own. Losing both of my parents, navigating life alone was a bit challenging. However, I did not feel like I am literally alone with my cat, Myu’s presence. At some point, the drowning feeling of living alone was lessened, and I still feel like I have a companion with me.
Pets although they sometimes seem to be unresponsive, they do extend our lifelines even before we could realize. Here are some ways owning a pet can be beneficial to humans:
Your Little Guardian-Angels
Owning a pet provides you a little companion that helps you feel safe. If you own a dog, you know you’ve got someone to count on to protect you and scare those who intend to harm you. On the other hand, if you own a cat, although they are mostly unresponsive, their presence will make you feel like you can talk to someone about your fears. Since you are well-aware you have them around, you’ll certainly get an inch of confidence that you are never alone at all.
Loneliness-Busters
Pets in anyways offer unintentional entertainment. Their moves, their gestures, and even the sounds they make are things we find odd but at the same time worth laughing about too. Pets have tendencies to be clingy. Other pets allow themselves to be carried, or even be hugged; alleviating the feeling of loneliness.
Stress-levels Minimizers
While this varies, most of the time, pets can lower stress levels too. As a companion, they lessen the feeling of anxiety. With their presence alone, they are also capable of improving a person’s mental health. An article from News in Health has supported the pets’ benefits to human health.
According to their site, interaction with animals has shown a significant decrease in the cortisol-levels (a stress-related hormone). Furthermore, it was able to lower blood pressure. Some studies have also found that owning a pet can reduce loneliness, increase the feeling of social support, and can boost one’s mood.
Fitness Companions
Even before you realize your pet is taking you to a fitness journey, you’re already walking miles away from your home. Having a pet to accompany you doesn’t just make you fit, but also exposes you to the world outside the four corners of your home. It allows you to interact with others, ease your mind, and take a moment to breathe deeply and let go of the stress.
While owning a pet is indeed beneficial to us humans, we should never adopt an animal with the intent of gaining the benefits they have to offer alone. Pets should be treated like a family. We should not overlook their welfare at the expense of prioritizing ours. We must reciprocate equally, and see them as lives that also matter.
