Did you know there are health benefits to owning a pet?  Pets can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, ease loneliness, encourage exercise and can improve your cardiovascular health.

Pets fulfill the basic human need for touch. Studies show that prisoners exhibit long-term changes in their behavior after interacting with pets, many experiencing mutual affection for the first time.

Research has found:

– Pet owners are less likely to suffer from depression than those without pets.

– People with pets have lower blood pressure in stressful situations than those without pets.

– Playing with a dog or cat can elevate levels of serotonin and dopamine, which serve to calm and relax us.

– Pet owners have lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels than those without pets.

– Heart attack patients with pets survive longer than those without.

– Pet owners over age 65 make 30 percent fewer visits to their doctors than those without pets.

Even more reasons to jump on the pandemic puppy train 🙂