We've all heard the saying "dogs are man's best friend". However, in addition to being our best friend, they also help us live healthier lives. For example, studies have proven that animals help with our physical and mental health.

Living longer thanks to our pets

There are many benefits to adopting a pet. To begin with, pets help us fight loneliness, stress and depression. When we come home from a long day at work or school, we can't wait to see our furry friends to cuddle with them and relax. Pets help us in so many other ways as well!

Studies show that owning a pet, such as a dog, can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. This is expecially so if the pet owner is alone, as they are more at risk of developing this type of disease. These studies show that owning a dog can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by 25 to 30%. Isn't that impressive? Did you know that pets could help prevent this?

Additionally, a survey that was conducted on 4 million people showed that the risk of dying, whatever the cause, is reduced by 25% if people have pets such as dogs. As you can see, pets help us live longer!

Furthermore, having a pet usually means more physical activity! For example, we play with our pets and we walk our pets. That means that, for the most part, people with pets walk more and get around more than people without pets. Physical activity helps us stay healthy. In this way, having pets contributes to our health and well-being.

Pets and children

As we have seen, having a pet has many benefits for adults. But what about children? In what ways does having a pet help children live happier and healthier lives? One reason pets are beneficial for children is because when a child is in regular contact with an animal, they are less likely to develop certain types of health issues such as asthma, hay fever or eczema. Moreover, children with pets typically spend more time outside and, therefore, less time behind in front of screens.

You might also like: The benefits of cats for children

While there are many benefits to having pets, it's important to keep in mind that having a pet is a real commitment. Before you take the plunge and adopt a pet, do your research and make sure that you are willing to put in the time and effort required to own a pet.

Originally written by Salomée Vidal (Yummypets) and translated by Jennifer Eubank (Yummypets)

Source: Europe1.fr

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