Pets
Pets—animals retained for companionship purposes, rather than as livestock or lab animals or for working purposes—seem to provide their owners with all sorts of benefits.
Research has shown that pets can help reduce their owner's stress levels, lower their blood pressure, and reduce their anxiety.
Folks healing from injuries or with psychological trauma tend to heal faster and do better when they've got a pet, and in some cases even a robo-pet that mimics some of the physical traits (like soft fur and purring) of a real pet will accomplish the same.
There's some contention that earlier research into these health-benefits, though, might be overblown (or the result of healthier people tending to get pets, rather than people getting healthier from owning pets).
That said, some of the most well-backed, demonstrable benefits pets provide their owners have less to do with their charm and fluffiness, and more to do with the structure and responsibility their presence inspires.
People with pets have another living creature to take care of, and that can put them in a different psychological state—that of responsible caretaker—which can provide benefits, especially if they might otherwise psychologically segue to harmful, anxious, depressed mindsets.
Pets can provide structure and routine and responsibility exercises for kids and for families, too, giving them shared activities, rituals, and an external source of variability and affection—of the physical and emotional varieties.
Pets can also serve as a connection between an individual or family and their wider community, as they can connect pet owners with each other and may require that their owners walk them through the neighborhood or go to the park (which increases the likelihood of engaging with other people and nature).
There are some health risks associated with pets, as some animals can behave aggressively, causing physical harm to their owners or other humans (in some cases by tripping them), and some pets can afflict their owners with allergies, asthma, or parasites.
The external source of affection and camaraderie, though, alongside the structure, responsibility, and physical benefits pets provide—from petting, cuddling, and otherwise enjoying the presence of a beloved animal—generally seem to outweigh the downsides, though; at least in terms of what our current research tells us on the matter.
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