Pets of any kind are a joy to have around, and more than just being cute, they are also beneficial to your mental health. Now, that may sound far-fetched (pun intended), but according to scientists, pets really do improve mental health.

While fish and other small pets that aren’t as interactive as dogs or cats are, and require less attention, they still can be beneficial for your health. Just the simple act of watching and being near a pet can have positive, calming effects. Another benefit of having small pets that don’t require much attention is that they are dependent on you.  They give you something to take care of and put your energy into.

High maintenance pets such as dogs, cats, rodents, and many others have lots of other positive effects on mental health. Like I previously mentioned, just looking at and being near pets makes a person feel calm. Doing things with pets, such as petting, sitting by, playing with, or relaxing with helps relax a person’s mind and calms them. Something as insignificant as petting a dog reduces stress and is comforting for the animals. Many studies have found that people who own pets have lower blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglycerides. Especially for people who suffer from depression, dogs are great for motivating them towards getting out and exercising, but really they motivate everyone to exercise or at least be more active. Being outside in the sun increases your intake of Vitamin D which helps to battle mental and physical conditions such as depression, anxiety, cancer, obesity, and even heart attacks. The stronger and healthier your body is, the less susceptible you are to mental and physical health problems.

Growing up around pets has more benefits than you think. Other than providing companionship and helping with mental health, growing up around hairy pets are less than half as likely to develop common allergies, such as dust, grass, and pet allergies. They are also less likely to develop asthma. Since allergies can cause people to be lethargic and suffer from insomnia, that makes them more likely to develop mental health issues such as depression.

Pets are great companions, and they help to greatly reduce loneliness and isolation. When you have pets, especially dogs, there is a lot more opportunity for socialization. For example, dog parks are a great place for your dog to get socialized, and to meet nice people who love animals. Also, when you walk your dog or cat or pig or whatever animal you want to take for a walk, it gives you the chance to get out and meet your neighbors.

There is a reason that we have emotional support and service animals, it is because they are amazingly reliable and love their owners unconditionally. In the Air Academy community, there are many service dogs around for emotional support and some for health issues. In hospitals, they hire dogs, cats, bunnies, and other animals to come in and raise the spirits of the patients there. The bottom line is that pets are amazing and nothing compares to the companionship and health benefits they provide.