PetKnows

I have always suspected that having a pet has made me a happier and healthier person. Thanks to an email from the Scott Common Sense Community, a new campaign I am working on, I now know that what I have suspected has been proven by science.

Their Healthy Hints article this month is entitled Creature Comfort and it highlights the health benefits of owning a pet, such as decreasing your risk of dying by three percent each year! Scientific research has proven that owning a pet can keep us younger, healthier, and happier. The pet doesn’t have to be a traditional pet like a dog or cat to do the trick but includes anything from birds to fish and lizards.

According to the article, these are just a few of the ways that we as pet owners benefit:

Heart Healthy: Tests show you can lower your heart rate and blood pressure by simply petting your dog or cat.

Longevity: Owning a pet increases our chances of surviving a life-threatening illness.

Weight Loss: A study showed that dog owners that walked their dogs for 20 minutes five times a week lost an average of 14 pounds after one year – without dieting!

Check out the Creature Comfort article for more on the benefits of being a pet owner and to submit your own ideas on how owning a pet has improved your life.