Pets can comfort the weary. Pets can cheer the lonely and support the sick. Pets can help us better cope with daily stresses and strains. And they can assist in managing our ups and downs, life’s yin and yang.

With that in mind, here are some links to articles showing how pets in our lives can positively impact our physical, mental and spiritual well being. There is much information on this topic out there, much of it unsubstantiated or of dubious validity. At PETisphere, we share with you only those findings reported in respectable, professional medical, behavioral science, or veterinarian literature.

• Pets help hospitalized heart patients recover – according to the American Heart Association. In this study it was found that the benefit of a 12 minute hospital visit by one’s pet exceeded the benefits of a visit from a volunteer or being left alone.
American Heart Association.
• An earlier study suggests that pet ownership may lower your risk for heart disease. Read more here… (Interactions, 1992)
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• Here’s additional information regarding Companion and Service Animals according to official standards promulgated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.This link offers good information on service and therapy animals: definition of, roles and responsibilities, care for, and approved programs for their adoption into medical or health environments.U.S. Department of Agriculture
• Dog walkers show greater mobility and conditioning benefits than non dog walkers. (Johns Hopkins School of Public Health-December, 05): Article
• Five Ways that pets can improve your health-from depression to lowering blood pressure. (WebMD, Februrary, 07): Article
• Can your dog help you recover from illness, surgery, or loneliness? Yes, according to this article: "The healing power of dogs: Cocoa's story." (Pub Med, January, 06): Article
• A balanced point of view on the many benefits and the costs, (yes, there are some as with all things in life), of pet ownership is summarized in: "Advantages and Disadvantages of Pet Ownership." (Penn State School of Agricultural Science): Article
• The Journal of Clinical Nursing (August, 02) examines the professional literature dealing with the question of, are animals a risk to the health of patients or the infirmed in care facilities? The authors conclude that "in a controlled health care environment in urban Europe or North America, and with responsible human behavior, the potential benefits of sharing.....lives with companion animals, either at home or in a hospital, far outweigh the apparently insignificant risks:
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• Scientific evidence that pet owners are healthier than non pet owners? In this study with longitudinal adults in Germany and Australia, it was found that people who have continuously owned a pet are the healthiest group, with those never owning a pet the least healthy group. (Social Indicators Research, January, 07): Article
• Trained assistance dogs "visiting severly ill cardiac patients in intensive care, lowered their stress and anxiety as well as their heart and lung pressure significantly". Read more...(The Pet Care Trust and UCLA Medical Center, November, 05): Article
• Read what The Center for Disease Control has to say about pets and their effect on humans: Article
• Yes, there is considerable evidence that pets can lower blood pressure and provide other important health benefits. But the type of pet best for you can make a difference. Read author Cheryl Weiner’s reasoning:
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• Dr. Andrew Weil, internationally respected physician, professor and practitioner of integrative medicine acknowledges the healthy benefits that pets play in human aging at his web site:
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• In his article “Making Connections: Eight Ways to Connect” Dr. Weil describes one of the 8 ways as having a pets. Did you know that pet owners tend to recover quicker from serious illness than do non-pet owners? Read more…
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• Dr. Weil asserts that in a national survey, “70 percent of the families surveyed reported an increase in happiness and fun as a result of acquiring a pet.” In his article, “Bonding with pets for health” he mentions other positives associated with being a pet owner.
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• Pets can play an important supportive role in the lives of recovering breast cancer patients (abstract printed in Delta Society)
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• The role of pets as companions to seniors was studied by The University of Guelph in Canada. It was found that pet ownership was beneficial to seniors in a number of functioning areas including ADL (Assisted Daily Living) levels.
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• ‘Pet Ownership may be a Factor in Improved Health of the Elderly” is the title of this study conducted in Colorado. Read more here… Article
• Horse therapy for humans? It’s growing in use to help patients with infirmities like cerebral palsy or other neuromuscular disorders. But what’s the impact of this therapy on the horses themselves? The Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association sheds light on this interesting question. Read more here…Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association

For Equine-assisted therapy see the following:

• Take Flight Farms
• Horse Powered Learning Center

• The Humane Society of the United States has issued a brochure which helps families stay together – you can read a summary of it at this web site… The Humane Society of the United States
• Do you have a young grandchild and a pet? If so read: "A formula for babies and pets" to assure each enjoys the company of the other. (WebMD feature reprinted from "Country Living"): Article
• On the "Complex dynamics of babies and pets", see this interesting article from Slate (June, 06): Article
• This article on "introducing your pet and new baby" by the Humane Society of the United States is a good primer on how to properly prepare your pet for the newborn's arrival: Article
• Concerned about your child or grandchild developing allergies from your pet? Growing evidence suggests that early exsposure by the infant to pets, may in fact have long term benefits to the immune system. Read more here... Article
• Pet Care Trust – this is a good site to visit for information about the rights, roles and ways that companion animals positively impact the lives of SONIC-BOOMERS. The Pet Care Trust is a non-profit organization devoted to "sponsor and disseminate information on companion animal programs and the role of companion animals in improving the quality of life of pet owners".Pet Care Trust
• People Animals Love (PAL) is a "nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)3 organization that brings people and animals together, brightening the lives of the lonely, easing the pain of the sick and enriching the world of at-risk children".PAL