How Pets Are Helping Folks Live Longer And Healthier Lives

by Donna Wright 

Consider the Benefits of Pet Ownership on Longevity 

Adopting a pet is a big decision and commitment but the rewards may have a bigger impact on you than you know. 

You see, owing a pet may even help you live longer.  

How can pets extend our lives? If you think about the factors that improve longevity, pets can offer some assistance with almost every factor from physical and mental health to socialization and other contributors to healthy aging. And it’s already proven that healthy aging can help one live a longer life.  

So, while it’s imperative to pay attention to your diet plan, practice physical fitness, and maintain a positive mindset, your family pet may be just as important to living a longer, fuller life. 

The Connection Behind Pets and Longevity 

As one who cannot keep her hands off any dog’s fur, I can attest that a human-animal bond seems to positively influence emotional, psychological, and physical health. And those benefits can in turn contribute to a longer, healthier life. 

In addition to companionship, the tight bond between humans and animals is greatly therapeutic. Adding a pet to a household can enhance quality of life in several ways. Let’s explore some ways that pet ownership contributes to longevity. 

Pets Can Instigate Physical Activity 

Regular physical movement is essential for health, weight management, and fitness. And your pet can help with each of these by keeping you active. As a pet owner, you may think you’re walking your dog to maintain and improve the dog’s health. But the dog walks help your health as well.  

Having a pet (like a dog) encourages physical activity from the time a pet owner awakens until the pet owner goes to sleep. Dogs need potty breaks, daily walks, playtime, and continuous stimulation throughout the day. And being at your pet’s beck and call provides you with natural endorphin boosts, whether you’re brushing your pet or taking your fur baby for a walk. 

Even if you’re a cat owner, you know cats also enjoy playing whether frolicking around the room, interactive games, or chasing toys like feathers, continually keeping their cat owners involved in the play.  

Pets Provide Unconditional Love and Companionship 

Sometimes a person adopts a pet from the shelter to save it. But soon the person learns that the pet was not the only one being saved. If you’re a pet owner, you know how fast the human-animal bond grows. That’s because the pet offers unconditional love. Whether it is a dog, cat, horse, rabbit or hamster, pets can provide a sense of belonging and connection to the pet owner.  

There’s no greater comfort than arriving home to a dog’s wagging tail or a cat’s happy purring. No matter what is happening in your life, good, bad, or even sad, your pet is the constant in your life because you are perceived as their favorite human, their everything. 

The unconditional love a pet owner receives from their pet is priceless, and with such a strong bond, one can’t imagine a life without that pet. 

Pets Give Owners a Purpose and Responsibility 

As the years go on, many people feel the lack of a daily purpose but that is not the case when you’re a pet owner. You see, pet owners know that part of their purpose is taking 100% responsibility for the pet, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, oftentimes for more than a decade. You need to buy food, treats, and toys. You need to feed the pet and provide fresh water. If you’re a dog owner, you need to handle potty breaks and take the dog for long walks. Knowing that you are responsible for providing constant care and compassion helps give pet owners purpose. 

Boosting Happiness and Joy 

You see the funny animal videos on social media all the time and that is exactly what a house can be like with the addition of a dog, cat, or other animal. Joy and laughter fill the room every time a dog does something dopey. Smiles emerge when a cat play inside an empty box. Pets can offer more joy to their pet owners than one could ever anticipate. Pets provide an unlimited source of innocent quirkiness that can continually enhance mood. 

Pets Have a Positive Impact on Mental Health: Help Reduce Stress and Anxiety 

Experts say that petting a dog or cat releases oxytocin (a feel good hormone) while reducing cortisol (a stress hormone.) And since chronic stress instigates health issues, lowering stress and anxiety by interacting with a pet promotes overall well-being. In fact, most pets (breeds that you’re comfortable to be around) will immediately help to ease anxiety and lower risks of depression, feelings of isolation, and stress, thereby contributing to longevity. 

Pets Offer Socialization Opportunities 

While some people may enjoy their pets from the comfort of their own home, others take advantage of the socialization opportunities pets provide. Walking your dog will often attract attention from other pet owners or neighbors. So, your pet could help you make instant connections and start meaningful conversations. 

Meeting other pet owners in social settings could pave the way for scheduling doggy playdates, receiving pet advice, veterinary clinic recommendations, and much more. In other words, every time you walk your dog, you invite conversation from others. Socialization is an important key to longevity as it forces you to get out of your home, get fresh air, and make social connections. 

Pets Provide Support to Pet Owners 

Animals can provide support to their owners on many different levels. Some pets are professionally trained and certified to provide high level support. These include guide dogs and other support dogs that are trained to help their owners efficiently maneuver throughout their day. Some support dogs can detect medical issues like low sugar and seizures before the episode even begins. Animals are also relied upon to help with occupational therapy, speech therapy, and physical rehabilitation. 

Emotional support animals are very popular and with the right certification can accompany their owners into many (not all) public places. Dogs, cats, and birds can be considered for emotional support. 

Pets Can Provide a Positive Impact on Physical Health 

Pets can reduce stress levels, increase physical activity, and improve overall mental well-being – keys to maintaining good physical health. Pets can help improve heart health by lowering blood pressure, cholesterol, and regulating the heart rate during stressful situations, enhancing cardiovascular health … helpful for a longer life. 

Here’s something you might not have known. Pets can even help with allergies. You see, children exposed to dogs and cats before one year of age could enjoy strengthened immune systems. And this helps make children less prone to allergies, asthma, eczema, and hay fever. It’s the actual exposure to pet dander and the bacteria that animals could bring inside from the outdoors that instigates a stronger immune response.   

Pets Help Maintain Cognitive Function 

Cognitive function is the ability to use mental processes to learn, reason, problem solve and make decisions. And pets could play an essential role in maintaining the cognitive health of their owners. Cognitive decline as experienced with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease could be lessened through the mental stimulation that a pet can offer its owner. Plus, pets can offer emotional support to those experiencing anxiety, agitation, and depression (conditions that are associated with accelerated biological aging). 

Pets Force Owners to Maintain a Daily Routine 

Pets can keep pet owners on their feet, literally. Following a daily routine based on the pet’s needs is great for one’s health. Routines (like feeding time, potty breaks, walks, naps, and play) can add structure to a pet owner’s daily life. This can encourage the pet owner to take a break from work or chores for a walk with the dog and some fresh air.  

Pets Can Provide a Sense of Security 

Pets – like dogs – lcan offer an extra layer of security in the home. Dogs typically bark at every unfamiliar sound to alert owners of potential strangers and dangers. Cats also have a keen sense of awareness within the house. This can certainly reduce anxiety of pet owners that are uncomfortable being in the home alone. Less stress reduces many health risks, thereby helping a pet owner live a longer, healthier life.  

And don’t judge a book by its cover as small dogs like the chihuahua breed can frighten away burglars. 

Pets Can Improve Longevity While Being Family Members 

Bottom line: Owning a pet can be good for you. From reducing stress, anxiety, and depression to lowering blood pressure and sugar levels, increasing physical activity and providing emotional support, pets offer so many valuable benefits that can contribute to longevity. Pets can even help boost the overall happiness and the well-being of their owners.   

Caring for pets requires time, effort, and dedication. But benefits like unconditional love, lower blood pressure, and a better emotional life can make the effort worth it.  

So, the next time your pet gives you the “sad eyes” expecting you to know exactly what they want, smile … they are giving the greatest gifts imaginable (unconditional love, better health and – maybe even – a longer life).