As a follow-up to the recent blog post “Pet Owners live longer”, the Animal Welfare League has supplied the following facts on the health benefits of owning a pet:-
Seniors who own dogs go to the doctor less than those who do not. In a study of 100 Medicare patients, even the most highly stressed dog owners had 21% fewer physician contacts than non-dog owners. (Siegel, 1990)
Here are some interesting statistical facts from the Animal Welfare League Australia:
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Seniors who own pets coped better with stress life events without entering the healthcare system. (Raina, 1998)
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Pet owners have lower blood pressure. (Friedman, 1983, Anderson 1992)
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Pet owners have lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels than non-owners. (Anderson, 1992)
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Pet owners feel less afraid of being a victim of crime when walking with a dog or sharing a residence with a dog. (Serpel, 1990)
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Pet owners have fewer minor health problems. (Friedmann, 1990, Serpel, 1990)
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Pet owners have better psychological well-being. (Serpel, 1990)
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Medication costs dropped from an average of $3.80 per patient per day to just $1.18 per patient per day in new nursing home facilities in New York, Missouri and Texas having animals and plants as an integral part of the environment. (Montague, 1995)
- Pet owners have higher one-year survival rates following coronary heart disease. (Friedman, 1980, 1995)
- Pets in nursing homes increase social and verbal interactions. (Fick, 1992)
- Pet owners have better physical health due to exercise with their pets. (Serpel, 1990)
- Dogs are preventative and therapeutic measures against everyday stress. (Allen, 1991, 1996)
- Pets decrease feelings of loneliness and isolation. (Kidd, 1994)
- The activities of daily living (ADL) level of seniors who did not currently own pets deteriorated more on average than that of respondents who currently owned pets. (Raina, 1999)