Benefits Of Having Pets At Home

Some domestic animals and pets can have positive effects on our health, helping us to recover sooner from some diseases, especially of a mental nature.

Dr. Allen R MacConnell of the University of Miami, who has done research on families and pets, assures that “pet owners who have a quality relationship with their animals feel healthier.”

Living with certain domesticated animals is a very rewarding, interesting experience and can be healthy. That is why we will talk about pets and their impact on our health below.

Benefits of having canine pets

As we well know, the dog is considered man’s best friend. It receives this name for its loyalty and for the great affection that it usually shows its owners. Already in Mesopotamia, 2,000 years BC, the goddess Gula, patron saint of doctors and deity of healing, was always represented with her dog.

It also happened among the Greeks. Asklepios, god of medicine – known in Rome as Aesculapius – was also represented with his dog.

Dogs are capable of detecting when a person is sad, and it is common for them to try to provide affection and companionship to alleviate it. They are also capable of improving general mood, because in one way or another they motivate people to do other types of activities that have benefits for their health, such as going outdoors, walking or playing with them.

But even beyond that, dogs are capable of detecting diseases in people.

Since the 1989 Lancet Study, when a dog detected melanoma in its owner, many other studies have tried to test the effectiveness of dogs at sniffing out disease.

Organizations like Medical Detection Dogs train pets to detect diseases such as diabetes, cancer, malaria, and nerve diseases.

In general terms, we can say that having canine pets is beneficial because they relax, comfort, help clear the mind, provide affection and also invite us to move a little.

Benefits of having feline pets

Popular belief assures that cats are caring and unaffectionate animals. However, this is not how we think. Although cats are not gregarious or territorial animals, which makes them different from dogs, the truth is that they can also help us lift our spirits.

They say that the cat has the ability to communicate with its owner through its meows, thanks to the fact that this type of noise as such only does it for that purpose. As if that were not enough, the purr of these animals could have benefits in humans.

A study carried out over 20 years by the University of Minnesota, led researchers to ensure that people who have cats are less likely to suffer heart attacks.

The American Acoustical Society has measured the cat’s purr at frequencies from 25 to 150 Hz, which they consider to have therapeutic effects on strengthening bones and muscles.

Fishes

If we have a preference for aquatic fauna, then having a fish tank or aquarium could be of great help to improve the mood.

In fact, it is interesting to know that having an aquarium at home is proven to be relaxing. In addition, cleaning the tank, decorating it and feeding the fish helps us to clear our minds and focus our attention on the present, which is beneficial in terms of mood and mental health.

Benefits that other animals could bring

Horses also have positive effects on human health and can interpret our emotions.

Currently, horses are used in therapies for young people who have or are at risk of mental problems, as it has been proven that these animals help them feel calm and relaxed, raising their mood and contributing to their improvement in general lines.

It should be noted that it is not necessary for the horse to be the youngster’s pet as such.

On the other hand, dolphins are considered to be special animals. They are one of the few aquatic animals that can live with humans. In fact, everything seems to indicate that dolphins are beings that have a harmonious relationship with us.

In this case, dolphins are also used in therapies for children with mental problems or physical disabilities. On the other hand, the organization Dolphin Energy Healing says that swimming with the fish could help improve physical, emotional and mental illnesses.

Although it is not confirmed, there is the idea that cattle could have positive effects on our mood. 

In short, having animals nearby seems to be beneficial for our physical and mental health. Therefore, if we want (and can) have them at home, we could improve our well-being. But beware, we must not forget that it will also be essential to ensure their health and well-being. Having a pet is a joy, but also a responsibility.