Appliance of Science: Why pets are so good for your health

Pets don't have to be cute and fluffy to help boost our mood and health.

There are many compelling studies on health benefits associated with pets. Picture: iStock

Almost everyone I know seems to have added a new pet to their household this past year. Mostly dogs, the odd cat and one or two more exotic animals. I’d be among them if I could ever persuade my husband as to how much we really need a dog. Science has my back on this one, with many compelling studies on health benefits associated with pets. While some are well documented and accepted as the norm, there are some more unusual studies that have expanded the focus of what exactly animals can do for our health and well-being.

Internet pets

It seems not all pet benefits actually require a real life pet. A small study carried out in Japan in 2012 compared participants abilities in cognition, focus and dexterity. They reported a significant increase in focus and concentration in these areas in the study group that looked at pictures of cute baby animals before completing the tests, when compared with the control group that did not.

There was even a study conducted in 2015 that showed that people can get an emotionally positive boost simply by watching cat videos. More detailed studies with people who prefer to a non-virtual approach have shown significant drops in their cortisol (stress) levels for up to 30 minutes after interacting with dogs.

Not just cute and cuddly

Other research has suggested that not all health benefits are exclusive to the cute and furry variety of pets. One study got people to pet both rabbits and turtles after exposing them to a stress-inducing state and reported that the act of petting a live animal gave positive benefits regardless of whether the animal was furry or not. These results were reportedly inconsequential to how much the participant liked animals.

This small study had an interesting way of inducing stress in the participants in the first place, they showed each of them a live tarantula and suggest they may have to handle it. Sometimes the study set-ups are even more interesting that the results they report.

Pets in a cage

If spiders aren’t your thing, maybe crickets are. A 2016 study gave their community-dwelling, elderly participants five crickets in a cage. They monitored their mood as they took care of them over an eight-week period. The study reported a small to medium positive effect on depression and cognitive function compared to the control group. So even insects make good pets it seems. They are also cheaper and easier pet options.

Back to the four-legged pet

While there are some mixed results from the benefits of pets on the health of their owners, data from larger studies have led to animals being used in care and treatment facilities. Although all ages can benefit from having an animal companion, benefits for young and old, in particular are widely studied.

Animals can help children with concentration or social challenges to remain calm and connect more with their peers. Elderly people living alone report a more sustained positive mood and are more likely to have better blood pressure levels and a reduced risk of heart disease when they have a dog as a pet. Cat owners can take heart too, literally; another study conducted over a 20 year period showed cat owners had a significantly lower risk of dying from heart disease.

I certainly didn’t need any convincing but I think you’ll agree that science makes a compelling argument for the benefits of pets. Now I just need to convince my husband.