Valley View Hospital | Healthy Reasons To Have A Pet

Seniors who own dogs go to the doctor less than those who do not. In a study of 100 Medicare patients, even the most highly stressed dog owners in the study had 21 percent fewer physician contacts than non-dog owners. (Siegel, 1990).
Activities of daily living level (ADL) of seniors who did not currently own pets deteriorated more on average than that of respondents who currently owned pets. (Raina, 1999).
Pet owners have lower blood pressure. (Friedmann, 1983; Anderson, 1992).
Pet owners have lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels than non-owners (Anderson, 1992).
Companionship of pets (particularly dogs) helps children in families adjust better to the serious illness and health of a parent (Raveis, 1993).
Pet owners feel less afraid of being a victim of crime when walking with a dog or sharing a residence with a dog. (Sepel, 1990).
Contact with pets develops nurturing behavior in children who may grow to be more nurturing adults (Melson, 1990).
Dogs are preventive and therapeutic measures against everyday stress (Allen, 1991).
Pets decrease feeling of loneliness and isolation (Kidde, 1994).
The presence of a dog during a child's physical examination decreases their stress. (Nadgengast, 1997, Baun, 1998).
Pets fulfill many of the same support functions as humans for adults and children. (Melson, 1998)