THE PET EFFECT
Do they benefit one’s health, or not?
Get a dog — it’s good for you.
Not always, says Dr. Hal Herzog. He knows one couple that divorced because of their two dogs.
Before you start howling, or just ignore him and impulsively buy a puppy because spring is here, hear him out. Herzog is a pet lover and can vouch for the pleasure of pet ownership, but he also wants you to know that the benefits of interacting with animals is routinely overstated.
He says companion pets will not add years to your life, take off the pounds or drive away the blues.
“More money — but not pets — makes people happier,” says Herzog, psychology professor at Western Carolina University, referring to the Mercer University research that found increased money boosted life satisfaction, not Bowser.
“We found no evidence of a ‘pet effect’ as it relates to a general measure of satisfaction with life,” the Mercer researchers said.
Retiree pet owners are just as lonely as their pet-less peers, says Herzog.
“Finnish pet owners had higher rates of ulcers, depression, panic attacks, and hypertension than non-owners,” he said.
OK, so they’re not medical mira- cle workers but the truth is we love feel-good animal stories and cling to their curative powers.
“It is true that some excellent studies have found that pets can lower blood pressure and reduce stress and serve as social lubricants. But the bottom line is that the best researchers can say at this point is that pets seem to be good for some people and not others,” adds Herzog.
A new study adds strength to the claims that companion animals are good for kids, and they promote healthy child and adolescent development, including social, emotional and educational benefits. Youngsters have greater self-esteem, less loneliness and enhanced social skills when Rover comes over.
Children under six, and preadolescents and adolescents older than 10 get the greatest self-esteem boost from bonding with household pets.
While it’s well known that pets can help to teach children important life lessons of responsibility, empathy and care-giving, says Dr. David Haworth, a vet and pet parent to a golden retriever named Bridger, there’s more than that.
“One of the most fascinating recent scientific discoveries about the impact of pets on healthy child development is related to studies that examine early childhood exposure to pets and its ability to protect children from immunerelated diseases like allergies, asthma and eczema.”
According to Haworth, chair of the Research Working Group at the Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) and president of PetSmart Charities of Canada, “pets aren’t just good for the social or emotional well-being of children, they’re actually able to contribute to making us stronger, healthier human beings.”
Pets have an instinctive way of knowing when humans of all ages need their love and support, he says, adding that their quiet companionship and unconditional love can provide a safe haven for children who may be feeling sad, anxious, lonely or misunderstood.
Pets can rescue us from feelings of loneliness after our children have left the nest, he adds.
“They can rescue our health by encouraging us to become more physically active, they can rescue us from boredom, anxiety or depression by bringing us spontaneous moments of laughter and yes, frustration too.
“Pets can rescue their pet parents, just as much as we rescue them,” says Haworth, adding that PetSmart Charities of Canada has helped find families for more than 230,000 pets.
“Whether an adoptive pet parent feels a sense of pride knowing they’ve rescued a pet from a life in a shelter, or they hope a new family pet will help teach their children life skills and responsibility; whether they simply enjoy the companionship and unconditional love of a pet, or they hope to experience some of the health benefits that have been linked to pet parenthood, there’s any number of great reasons to bring a pet into one’s life.”
Keep in mind that pets come with varying levels of responsibility and expense, so it’s not a decision to make lightly, he says.
“While certainly there’s a continuing need and desire for more data on this topic, I believe — and many other pet parents concur — that having pets in your life is very good for one’s physical, mental and emotional health.”