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There is proof...
There has been a lot of scientific research showing that people benefit from
owning pets. Check out the results of this survey, conducted in 2002 by a British research
firm:
Alan Beck, who is director of the Center for the
Human-Animal Bond at Purdue University has conducted quite a bit of research
regarding the myriad benefits of animals to humans. He notes that "Contact with
companion animals triggers a relaxation response". This, over time of course
delays aging and helps people avoid the many pitfalls associated with stress.
Recent (2011) research also indicates stress reduction may inhibit telomere shortening,
thus blocking aging at the cellular level.
In addition, research done at the
University of Missouri at Columbia by professor Rebecca Johnson found that
stress levels of the hormone Cortisol were reduced in those who interacted with their pets.
Yet another study showed survival
of heart attack victims who owned a pet were 28 percent higher than those who
didn't have one. Imagine a drug that increased heart attack survival by 28%. The
patent would be worth billions.
So when we say having a pet companion benefits
the owner as much as the pet, we're not kidding.
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