Are you an animal person and you are thinking about getting a new pet for your Bria Homes? Adopting a cat or dog can be a good option if you want to live a healthy lifestyle, both physical and mental health. Not only would the benefits of pets for human health be advantageous, but as pet owners, you will also give your pet a loving home while receiving their lifelong love and company in return.
No matter if it is a guinea pig or a puppy, one of the first questions people think about is whether they should adopt a pet at a local animal shelter or purchase one from a breeder. The latter certainly has its benefits, but we are hoping that you choose to adopt a pet instead. We have created a list with all the reasons we could think of to convince you that adoption is the better option. Furthermore, continue reading to learn how can pets make you happy and improve your life.
Adopt, Don’t Shop! 3 Reasons you should adapt a furry friend
1. You are Saving a Life
The most compelling argument for adopting a pet is that you are probably saving its life. You are giving an animal a second opportunity they deserve by adopting from local animal shelters. Many pets have been saved from horrifying situations, such as brutality, neglect, and abandonment, or simply because their owners were no longer able to care for them due to an illness or a change in circumstance.
The shelter employees work tirelessly to treat sick, injured, and homeless pets. They do everything they can to get the animals ready for adoption, unfortunately, not all of them are as lucky. Many healthy animals lose their lives as a result of shelters having to put them to sleep owing to a lack of space. You can provide a home for an animal who has been abandoned and help stop overpopulation through pet ownership.
2. Adoption is Less Expensive
Most animal shelters vaccinate, spay, and neuter their animals. By not having to pay for the procedures yourself, you can save a lot of money while making sure that the pet you are bringing into your Bria Homes is in good health. We all know that buying pets cost money, therefore, adopting a pet from a shelter costs far less than buying one from a breeder. Even exotic animals can be adopted for a fraction of the price.
Read: Best low-maintenance pets for condo living
3. Eradicate Unethical Practices
Puppy farming, also known as puppy milling, is the illegal practice of breeding puppies with no regard for the health or welfare of the dogs in order to maximize profit. In puppy farms, dogs are kept in appalling conditions without access to basic necessities while being compelled to breed repeatedly to their detriment.
Facility owners do not care about breeding healthy dogs, thus, puppies may be born with serious issues that can gradually manifest. When the dogs can no longer procreate, they are frequently put to death without receiving any veterinary attention. In addition, puppies sold at pet stores are frequently raised on farms. By rehoming a pet from a legitimate organization that promotes animal welfare rather than contributing to this illicit trade, you may help stop dogs from being subjected to such dreadful conditions.
The Benefits of Pets for Human Health
A. Physical Health Benefits
Unsurprisingly, acquiring a pet has many powerful health benefits. As a matter of fact, research proves that having a dog or cat has a positive impact on a wide range of health conditions. Also, numerous studies have demonstrated that owning a pet can lengthen your life while enhancing your overall health and well-being.
1. Low Blood Pressure
Stress in daily life might result in high blood pressure. Keeping a pet can increase social support, which helps lower your blood pressure and stress levels. Playing and stroking your pet can also enhance the levels of serotonin and dopamine your body produces, making you feel peaceful and relaxed.
Moreover, dog ownership can help with physical therapy following surgery. Based on some studies, it can cut a person’s need for medicine by up to 28%. Specialists contend that while pets can ease tension and lower blood pressure, they also help people experience less pain, necessitating less medicine.
2. Cardiovascular Health
According to a study published in the American Journal of Cardiology, people who own companion pets had a higher chance of surviving a heart attack than those who did not. Adopting a cat, dog, or other pet can be beneficial for heart attack patients who have recently experienced a cardiac disease. Meanwhile, another study found that even cats can lower the incidence of heart disease in high-risk individuals.
3. Active Lifestyle
Exercise and physical activity are beneficial for those with anxiety and depression. Walking pets gives them a reason to leave the house, which leads to healthy lifestyle changes. Adopting a loyal dog could assist those who want to lose weight and achieve their fitness goals.
This is supported by studies that show regular dog walkers may be in better physical condition and less likely to be obese than non-walkers. Additionally, pet ownership provides opportunities for socialization with fellow pet owners in your Bria Homes community or dog owners at a nearby dog park.
Mental Health Benefits
1. Lower Rates of Depression
Owning a pet may ease your depressive symptoms if you have them. Pets boost self-esteem and give people a greater feeling of purpose. According to one study, having a pet was linked to elderly persons having less likely to experience depressive symptoms, like loneliness.
A canine companions’ loving and devoted traits as pack animals develop a unique and rewarding relationship with their owners. This might be beneficial to depressed people who might feel alone. Because of this, therapeutic pets are used in depression treatment strategies.
2. Help with Post-traumatic Stress (PTSD)
A majority of us are aware that dogs can provide emotional support during trying times. PTSD symptoms can be crippling, and many who have them can benefit by adopting a dog or cat. Owning a dog improves one’s ability to deal with flashbacks and reduces the symptoms of PTSD by providing sensory stress relief.
In line with this, recovering addicts and alcoholics are susceptible to relapse due to stress and other environmental factors. Owning a pet can be a wonderful way to ease stress and make healing easier. In fact, several treatment facilities already incorporate dogs into their therapy plans.
3. Reduce Anxiety
Finishing daily tasks can be challenging when you are anxious, but having an ever-present pet may help reduce symptoms. Oxytocin or the “feel good” hormone is produced in the brain more readily when pet owners engage with companion animals, which helps lower stress and anxiety.
Pets are Good for Kids
Responsibility
Having a pet in the house can have advantages for parents who are considering getting one beyond just promoting healthy exercise and human-animal interaction. Pets require responsibility, and having a pet entails that children can experience taking care of another living creature. They can understand and learn responsibility by helping with routine animal care duties, including feeding, brushing, cleaning their litter box, and walking the dog.
Read: Take Care of Your Pets This Summer Using These Tips
Low Risk of Developing Allergies
A pet allergy is no fun. Having a furry friend may stop developing such allergies as early as possible. Research shows that children who are dog owners are less likely to experience allergies to them in the future. Similarly, teenagers with cats in their first year of life are less likely to develop cat allergies.
Empathy and Awareness
Pet ownership will also foster empathy by getting people to consider how they may have contributed to finding a loving home for an unloved animal. Children who suffer from separation anxiety can find comfort and reassurance in pets because they know someone will always be there for them. In addition, they make a wonderful playmate and beloved companion.
Written by Gianne D. Inumerable
