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Alex Schuler

Mrs. Baker

World Literature, Hour 7

27 November 2017

Benefits of Pet Ownership

In the United States, about 80 million households have a pet, with over 40% of them

owning more than one pet. Throughout recent years, more and more people have been getting

pets for themselves and their families. Many pet owners feel a strong connection with their furry

companion. Owning a pet has several health and social benefits.

Owning a pet can be beneficial to your health. Staying in shape with exercise is a good

way to improve the immune system. “Exercise is one of the best ways to prevent disease. Dog

owners are 57 to 77 percent more likely to achieve sufficient physical activity than people who

didn’t own dogs” (Cooper, 1). Part of owning a dog is needing to take it for a walk regularly.

Going for a walk on a regular basis can reduce blood pressure, as well as reduce risk of diseases.

“Along with being more active, people who walked their dogs had a lower body mass and were

less likely to report having diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and depression”

(Cooper 1). A lower blood pressure can greatly help reduce the risk of heart diseases in the

future. Constantly having a high blood pressure can lead to a much greater risk of heart diseases

later on in life.

Owning a dog as a pet can also be beneficial to one’s social life. “Dogs are great for

making love connections. Forget Internet matchmaking -- a dog is a natural conversation starter.

This especially helps ease people out of social isolation or shyness”(Davis 1). Owning a pet
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makes a person much more approachable to start up a conversation. Being easier to hold a

conversation with can lead to many more opportunities for friendships, and even relationships.

“Other physical benefits of owning a dog or a cat come from the activity necessary to take care

of it, such as playing with the animal or taking it for a walk. And there can be social benefits of

dog walking if you meet other people along the way” (Harvard 1). Being active is a great way to

get out, and meet new people. Owning a dog as a pet is a great way to strike up a conversation.

Having a pet as a child has a positive impact on numerous things. “If a dog lived in the

home, infants were less likely to show evidence of ​pet allergies​ -- 19% vs. 33%. They also were

less likely to have ​eczema​, a common ​allergy​ ​skin​ condition that causes red patches and ​itching​”

(Davis 1). Some pet allergies can be very inconvenient, especially if someone that can have bad

reactions is often around these pets. There are many ways to limit reactions to pets, but the

easiest is to limit direct contact with animals. “Having a pet gives children a source of comfort

and helps them develop empathy. This is also true for children with autism, who are sometimes

better able to interact with pets, which may in turn help them interact with people. In several

studies, simply the presence of a dog during occupational therapy resulted in greater use of

language and social interaction”(Cooper 1). Having a pet at an early age also helps a child

develop more empathy and social skills. At an early age, owning a pet can have a very

significant impact on a child that has autism. The children will sometimes be able to interact

much better while in the company of a pet.

Owning a pet can also reduce cholesterol, as well as other things that can cause a heart

attack if not properly controlled. “ ​Heart attack​ patients who have pets survive longer than those

without, according to several studies. Male pet owners have less sign of ​heart disease​ -- lower
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triglyceride​ and ​cholesterol levels​ -- than non-owners, researchers say” (Davis 1). Pet owners are

not just less likely to have a heart attack, but also, generally live longer after suffering from one.

Being the owner of a pet can also affect decisions made based on health. ​ “​Almost 30% of pet

owners who smoked said they'd try to quit if they were convinced that secondhand smoke could

hurt their pets, a survey found. (Less than 2% said the same thing about their children)” (Ravn

1). Most pet owners do not want to intentionally harm their animals, because their pets can not

speak up for themselves. A child can generally get up, and go into the next room if they are

affected by the smoke.

Owning a pet does have some drawbacks. The cost to own a pet can be expensive. “The

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the average pet owner spends about $500 per year on a

pet, although estimates from other organizations put annual expenses as high as $1,600 per year”

(Harvard 1). Some people may not have enough extra money to properly take care of their pet.

Dogs also need to be able to be let outside multiple times each day. It could be a difficult task to

accomplish if the owner lives in an apartment, or has a job that causes them to be away for long

periods of time. If the pet has a lot of energy, it will require more play time, and walks every day,

which can add to the existing tasks that need to be done in order to keep the pet happy. The cost

of taking care of a pet for its entire lifetime is often not considered by many people when looking

for a pet. “Whether you rescue a stray kitten off the street or you spend a few thou for a

Westminster-bound chow, the cost of acquiring a pet is a drop in the water bowl compared to the

cost of taking good care of it through its life. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty

to Animals has calculated how much you can expect to fork over every year to keep your pet in

fine fettle: From $875 for a large dog down to $35 for a fish” (Ravn 1). The cost of properly
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taking care of a pet could be much more than some people are expecting when they get one. Pet

owners also may forget to consider that the cost of taking care of two animals could possibly

double the yearly total of taking care of those pets.

Pets can also be dangerous in some cases. “About 4.5 million Americans are bitten by

dogs every year, with 1 in 5 bites causing injuries that require medical attention. Children ages 5

to 9 are most likely to be injured, and children are more likely than adults to need medical help”

(Ravn 1). Pets can sometimes get aggressive and bite their owner, or children. Children are most

likely to get bitten because they may not know exactly how to pet an animal properly. The

animal could think that the child is trying to harm it, so the pet will defend itself by biting the

kid. “There are also sanitary risks associated with pet ownership. Animals can carry parasites

that can be transferred to humans. Cats in particular carry a parasite called Toxoplasma gondii,

which can get into your brain and cause a condition known as toxoplasmosis” (Harvard 1). Many

different animals can transmit different diseases to one another. These diseases can also infect

pets, especially if they are not properly vaccinated. If a pet does get a disease, the veterinarian

bill to treat the animal could be an unnecessary cost to pay for owning a pet.

There are many benefits of owning a pet, including physical health, mental health,

improved social life, less probability of pet allergies at an early age, and better social skill for

people with disabilities. Some negatives do come with owning a pet, but many people find that

the advantages outweigh the cons. Considering all of the advantages of owning a pet, this is why

so many households in the United States have one. Pet ownership is beneficial to people around

the world. Companionship is one of the most important things in life.

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Works Cited

Cooper, Harriet. "Surprising Health Benefits of PETS." ​Alive: Canada's Natural Health &

Wellness Magazine​, no. 402, Apr. 2016, pp. 61-64. EBSCO​host​,

Davis, Jeanie Lerche. “5 Ways Pets Can Improve Your Health.” ​WebMD​, WebMD, 2017,

www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/features/health-benefits-of-pets#1​.

Publishing, Harvard Health. “The Health Benefits and Risks of Pet Ownership.” ​Harvard Health​,

Harvard University, Feb. 2016,

www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-health-benefits-and-risks-of-pet-ownership​.

Cherniack, E. Paul, and Ariella R. Cherniack. “Assessing the Benefits and Risks of Owning a

Pet.” ​CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association Journal​, 8872147 Canada Inc., 14 July

2015, ​www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4500685/​.

Ravn, Karen. “Pets and Your Health: the Good and the Bad.” ​Los Angeles Times​, Los Angeles

Times, 18 July 2011,

articles.latimes.com/2011/jul/18/health/la-he-pets-good-bad-20110718.