Americans love their pets. In fact, most of them have at least one furry friend. Surveys disagree on the exact number, but an estimated 49% to 68% of Americans are pet owners.
In the last few decades, scientists have tried to determine whether the “pet effect” – being healthier just by virtue of being a pet owner, or by interacting with an animal – is real. For the most part, they’ve found that pet owners are healthier, both physically and mentally, than people without pets.
Although not every study finds that being a pet owner is overwhelmingly good for your health, most studies do. The discrepancy may come down to the type of pet – not only the species, but the temperament of that pet. Info source: businessinsider.com.
Scroll through to see all the ways pets are good for you, backed by science.
