Anyone who has a pet will tell you that having an animal around makes them feel good. But did you know that they really are good for your health?

Pet Ownership Subject of Medical Studies
A number of studies have shown some of the benefits of pet ownership.

Exposure to animals in the first year of life has been shown to reduce the risk of developing allergies later in life. Dog ownership in particular seems to reduce the incidence of asthma in children.

Lower Your Blood Pressure Without Drugs
While medication can keep your blood pressure in check under normal conditions, a study at the State University of New York concluded that pet ownership, but not ACE inhibitors, reduced blood pressure when people were placed in stressful situations.

A similar study done at the School of Dental Medicine at the same university also found that pet owners had lower heart rates and blood pressure than non-pet owners when under stress.

A number of other studies have come to the same conclusion.

Especially Good for Kids
Children who have pets have also been shown to have more empathy for others than children without pets.

Some communities offer a unique reading program involving dogs. Dogs in training to be therapy dogs are brought in to help children learn to read. The students are more comfortable reading out loud to the dog than to an instructor or in front of a class.

The program allows the kids to gain confidence and helps train the dog to boot.

Other benefits that pets can have on children include higher self-esteem, enhanced cognitive development, and greater participation in both group activities and hobbies.

Good for Adults, Too
For adults, pet owners appear to get more exercise and enjoy it more.

Nursing homes find that medication usage is decreased and social interaction increased when animals and plants are part of the environment.

In a study of seniors on Medicare, those with dogs had fewer visits to the doctor. In other studies, seniors who owned pets had a higher activity level and coped better with stress.

Interestingly, a study in Australia found that pet ownership in 60-64 year olds had a negative effect on health. Maybe they just do everything upside-down down under!

Lifesavers
Not only are pets good for your health, but also they may save your life. Everyone has read the stories of a dog that dialed 911, or a cat that woke its owners when their house was on fire.

Dogs can warn off intruders, pull people from burning buildings, or alert owners with epilepsy of an imminent seizure.

Dogs Can Be of Service
And of course there are the service dogs. Though legally not considered pets, these dogs are much more than pets to those that need them. They can be ears, eyes or hands for a disabled person, able to do any number of tasks.

When disaster strikes, the search and rescue dogs are called in. When people are missing, tracking dogs are often used.

So the next time you are trying to convince a parent or spouse that you need a pet, don't rely on the tired old line "I'll take care of it, I promise!", tell them all the ways it will take care of you.

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