Why Life is Better with a Pet

There have been few times in my life when I haven't had pet of some kind. To me, companion animals are like human friends; they're absolutely essential for me to feel normal and happy. During the brief chapters in my life when I haven't had companion animals of some kind, I've felt an overwhelming sense of emptiness and even despair. I firmly believe that, in every way, life is better with a pet. Here are just a few of the many way that owning a pet improves your life.

1. A pet can improve your health. A pet can dramatically improve your life by making your body healthier and stronger. Dog owners tend to get more exercise, on a more regular basis, because of the physical activity involved in walking a dog on a daily basis. According to the CDC, pet owners also have healthier hearts: ownership of a cat or dog is associated with lower blood pressure, lower triglycerides, and lower cholesterol. Your pet rewards your years of love and dedication by helping to improve the strength of both your mind and body.

2. Pets provide unconditional love and companionship. No one in my life loves me as unconditionally and dumbly as my pets love me. There will always be episodes of tension with my human loved ones, but I've always got the comfort of knowing that I can curl up with my cat and that he'll purr and nuzzle me for as long as I'll let him. Life is better with a pet because there's no other way to guarantee such steadfast and unconditional affection.

3. Animals give us a sense of purpose. The daily grind can eat away at our sense of fulfillment and self-confidence. Many people, especially those who are single or childless, feel a sense that their life is "going nowhere" or benefiting no one. However, these feelings evaporate instantly in flutter of puppy-kisses or kitten-purrs. Pets, especially those who were rescued or adopted, give us the feeling that we are benefiting someone and that our lives are of value. The feeling of fulfillment and productivity is one of the greatest gifts an animal can give his owners.

4. Companion animals can improve your social life. Crazy-cat-lady stereotypes aside, pets can dramatically improve the social lives of their owners. I know several committed couples who met one another through pet lover social groups and through chats at the dog park. Like any other hobby or interest, pet ownership is associated with a strong subculture of like-minded people, and provides significant opportunities to connect with other people.

5. Pets unite families. My family has never been more cohesive than since my cat, Ziggy, joined it. The shared responsibility of caring for a pet has made my relationship with my partner and my daughter more stable, and our family feels more complete because he's in it. The American Academy of Pediatric and Adolescent Psychiatry echoes my own observations about my pet's impact on my daughter, too, noting that children with pets are more responsible and more confident.

I don't know where I would be without the pets who have made my life more complete and more fulfilling. Pets are as central to my life, and to my sense of happiness, as the people I know and love. Companion animals enrich our lives with love, support, and joy.