Good companions

A growing number of experts now recognise what animal lovers have known for years: pets are good for your health

IF YOU HAVE A PET, YOU ALREADY

know how it can make you feel better with just a twitch of a whisker or nudge of a nose, but now science is starting to confirm just how good animals are for us – both physically and mentally. “Increasingly we are discovering that the benefits go beyond companionship,” says Dr Sophie Hall, research fellow in human-animal interactions at the University of Lincoln. From walking and feeding to stroking, patting and even just watching them rest or play, all aspects of pet ownership are thought to play a role. “Substantial sums of money are invested each year in preventative medicine and therapeutic treatment for people with a wide range of health problems,” says psychologist Dr Deborah Wells from the Animal Behaviour Centre at Queen’s University Belfast. “There is now mounting evidence to suggest that companion animals, such as dogs and cats, can enhance the health of their owners and may thus contribute significantly to the health expenditure of our country.”

PAW POWER

Many people believe that animals have a ‘sixth sense’ when it comes to knowing if their owner is ill. Indeed, a growing number of expertly trained ‘assistance dogs’ are now used to anticipate epileptic seizures, dangerous drops in blood sugar levels and even to sniff