Whether they have a dog, a chinchilla, an iguana, etc., one can attest that pets are more than just cute faces and silly tricks. In fact, owning a pet provides people with a great deal of mental, physical and emotional benefits. Pets are recommended by almost every news outlet, humane society, scientific study and any other source you can think of as an effective way to improve your life (as long as you can afford and take care of them). US News lists "10 Reasons You Need a Pet," but honestly, there are so many reasons why. From the perspective of a psychology major (me) and proud puppy owner (also me), these are the most important ways that owning a pet can change your life for the better.
Pets make you happy.
It is an undeniable fact that pets are adorable and funny creatures capable of making you laugh at any time. Cats riding Roombas and dancing cockatiels can just fill us with inexplicable joy. But it isn't just their appearance and antics that charm us--pets' happy-go-lucky attitudes have multiple positive effects on our emotional and mental states. They live in the here and now, and their wordless encouragement gets us to stop worrying about the past or future and focus on the present. WebMD states that "thinking about anything other than the current activity can undermine happiness." Pets also provide a great distraction when you simply can't get away from mourning the good old days or planning your wedding - and as we all know, getting distracted from stressful projects can be some of the most enjoyable and satisfying times in your life.
Pets reduce your stress.
Study after study proves that pets can reduce stress in their owners. Great right? Well, it's even better when you realize that stress can cause or exacerbate a ton of different illnesses and ailments. Pets offer companionship and social support, which really helps when we feel alone and depressed. Plus, those affectionate pet cuddles are also very good for you; the act of touching another warm creature lowers the blood pressure, decreases the heart rate, reduces the perception of pain and improves the immune system. So cuddle your kitten if you want to live!
Pets give you purpose.
Life can feel like a meaningless goose chase after an unattainable goal that happens to also hate you and want you to fail. Unless, that is, you have a pet. Living life without purpose can lead to premature death, even suicide; but having a purpose can protect you from these risks and also protect against heart problems. Taking care of a pet, a living creature that is completely dependent on you and will offer you unconditional love, gives you a reason to live. You need to get up in the morning so you can feed your fish. You have to take care of yourself so that you can take care of your elderly chocolate lab. Having a pet can help prevent suicide by giving people a reason to live--and that, I think, is one of the most important ways pets help us. Because they honestly keep us alive just by loving us.
