Dogs and cats are good for your health
The physical and emotional benefits of companion animals are established and real. Stress reduction, lower incidence of depression and improved motility are just a few of the many benefits of pet ownership. Consider a service member returning from deployment, transitioning from active duty or trying to acclimate to civilian life. An honorably adopted adult shelter animal can go a long way to smoothing the transitions and stresses that are part of military lives.
An honorably adopted adult shelter pet might just be the best health plan money can buy.
Companion pets - particularly adult dogs and cats - are an excellent choice for members of our military, and can be appropriate for families as well as those living alone. Here are just some of the amazing benefits of bringing home a new, four-legged best friend:
Pets make us feel better
- Reduced stress and incidence of depression
- Bereaved elderly people are less depressed if they own a pet
- Recent widows who own pets use less medication and exhibit fewer symptoms of psychological or physical illness than those that don’t own a pet
- Fewer feelings of loneliness
- Dog owners report being as emotionally connected to their pets as to their closest family members
- Just 30 minutes in the company of a dog improves feelings of happiness and well-being
- Positive impact on kids’ attitudes about themselves, boosting their ability to relate to others
Pets provide real physical benefits
- Lower cholesterol, blood pressure and triglyceride levels
- Increased physical activity and motility
- Greater reduction of cardiovascular stress in the presence of a dog than when among family or spouses
- Improved post-heart attack recovery
- Fewer annual doctor visits for elderly people who own dogs