Cooperative Living May 2015 - 22

HEALTHY TAKE
and Human Development. " But there have
been relatively few well-controlled studies.
That's the state of the science, in a nutshell. "
Some of the largest and most wellY
ou
take good care of your pet. But what
has he or she done for you lately?
Scared intruders from your door? Given
you a loving nuzzle? People have lots of reasons
for owning pets, and a small but growing
body of research suggests that owning or interacting
with animals, particularly dogs, can have
the added benefit of improving your health.
People and animals have a long history
of living together and bonding. Perhaps the
oldest evidence of this special relationship was
discovered a few years ago in Israel - a
12,000-year-old human skeleton buried with its
hand resting on the skeleton of a 6-month-old
wolf pup.
Today, animal companions are more popular
than ever. The pet population nationwide
has been growing dramatically over the past
50 years, from 40 million pet cats and dogs in
1967 to more than 160 million in 2006.
Approximately two-thirds of U.S. households
have at least one pet.
" When you see how long we've had pets
in our lives, and how important they are to us
today, I think it's amazing that the study of
human-animal interactions is still so new, " says
Dr. Sandra Barker, director of the Center for
Human-Animal Interaction at Virginia Commonwealth
University. " Researchers have only
recently begun to explore this wonderful relationship
and what its health benefits might be. "
The scientific study of the human-animal
bond is still in its infancy. While several small or
anecdotal studies have uncovered intriguing
connections between human health and animal
interactions, more rigorous follow-up studies
have often shown mixed results.
" The general belief is that there are health
benefits to owning pets, both in terms of psychological
growth and development, as well as physical
health benefits, " says Dr. James Griffin, a
scientist at the National Institute of Child Health
20
designed studies in this field suggest that fourlegged
friends can help improve our cardiovascular
health. One National Institute-funded
study looked at 421 adults who'd suffered
heart attacks. A year later, the scientists
found, those who owned dogs were significantly
more likely to still be alive than were
those who did not own dogs, regardless of
the severity of their heart attack.
Another study looked at 240 married couples.
Those who owned a pet were found to
have lower heart rates and blood pressure,
whether at rest or when undergoing stressful
tests, than those without pets. Pet owners also
seemed to have milder responses and quicker
recovery from stress when they were with
their pet at the time of the event.
Several studies have shown that dog
owners may get more exercise and other
health benefits than the rest of us. One study
looked at more than 2,000 adults and found
that dog owners who regularly walked their
dogs were less likely to be obese than those
who didn't own or walk a dog. Another
study followed more than 2,500 older
adults, ages 71-82, for three years. Those
who regularly walked their dogs walked
faster and for a longer time each week than
others who didn't walk regularly. Older dog
walkers also had greater mobility inside their
homes than others in the study.
Man's best friend may help you make
more human friends, too. Several studies
have shown that walking with a dog leads to
more conversations and helps you stay
socially connected. And studies have clearly
shown that people who have more social
relationships tend to live longer and are less
likely to show mental and physical declines
as they grow older. " It's hard to walk a dog
and not have someone talk to you or interact
with you, as compared to walking alone, "
says Barker.
Other research suggests that pet ownership
may hold special benefits during childhood.
" When children are asked who they
talk to when they get upset, a lot of times their
first answer is their pet, " says Griffin, an expert
in child development and behavior. " This
points to the role of pets as a source of comfort
and developing empathy. In fact, therapists
and researchers have reported that children
with autism are sometimes better able to interact
with pets, and this may help in their interactions
with people. "
Several research teams are examining the
potential benefits of bringing specially trained
animals into clinical settings. Animal-assisted
therapies are increasingly offered in hospitals
and nursing homes nationwide. Although there
is little solid scientific evidence confirming the
value of this type of therapy, clinicians who
watch patients interacting with animals say
they can clearly see benefits, including
improved mood and reduced anxiety.
" I think we're just at the tip of the iceberg
in terms of what we know about the human-animal
bond and its potential health benefits, "
Barker says. " This area is primed for a lot of
research that still needs to be done. " n
Source: www.nih.gov
IF YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT
ADDING A FOUR-LEGGED FRIEND
TO YOUR FAMILY, HERE ARE THREE
REASONS TO CONSIDER ADOPTING
FROM A PET SHELTER OR
ANIMAL RESCUE:
* YOU SAVE A LIFE. Even if the
shelter has a no-kill policy, your
adoption makes space for
another animal at that shelter.
* YOU SAVE MONEY. Adopting
an animal typically costs less
than purchasing an animal from
a pet shop or breeder.
* If you adopt a young adult
or older pet, you avoid the
challenges of house-training
and teething. n
Source: Best Friends Animal Society,
www.bestfriends.org
Cooperative Living/May 2015
LUNAMARINA/ISTOCK/THINKSTOCK
http://www.nih.gov http://www.bestfriends.org
Cooperative Living May 2015

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