The feeling of coming home to an excited furry friend wagging its tail is unparalleled. Ask anyone with pets how their lives have been enriched and every single one will come up with a long and compelling list of benefits. It is perhaps due to the pandemic lockdowns and ensuing isolation that millions of people across the world have adopted pets over the last year. In the United Kingdom alone, nearly 3.2 million households welcomed pets into their homes. Given this current trend, it seems like a relevant time to explore the science behind the health benefits of companion animals.

Mental health benefits

Pets can be cuddly, loving, and a great source of companionship. Dr. Gregory Fricchione observes, "We do best medically and emotionally when we feel securely attached to another, because we're mammals and that's the way we've evolved.” According to Fricchione, we are particularly comfortable with cats and dogs because they convey a feeling of unconditional love. 

A number of scientific studies provide evidence for the benefits of such human-animal companionship. Having a pet during childhood and adolescence has a wide array of mental health benefits ranging from improved self-esteem, reduced feelings of loneliness, increased social competence, and even an improvement in intellectual and cognitive abilities. Among the elderly, companion animals can improve quality of life and reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, and behavioural and psychiatric symptoms of dementia. Having a pet, however, can also have negative effects on our mental health. While people living with mental health problems do experience the benefits outlined above, they are also exposed to additional risks, such as the psychological distress of losing a pet. 

Physical health benefits

Pets can also help with our physical health. Having a pet can encourage people to go outside and exercise; people with dogs, for example, walk more and engage in more physical activity than those without. In the case of certain diseases, there is some evidence to show that having a pet is associated with reduced severity and lower mortality: studies indicate, for example, that people with pets have a lower prevalence of systemic hypertension and lower adjusted cardiovascular mortality.

When should you perhaps think twice about getting a pet? 

While there are health benefits to having a pet, there are specific situations in which having one may not be advised. For people with mental health conditions, the distress of losing a pet can be significant; in times of crisis, this grief can exacerbate a mental health condition that they may already be struggling to manage. As for risks to physical health, people with weakened immune systems, and those undergoing cancer chemotherapy, ought to take precautions to avoid contracting zoonotic diseases—those transmissible between animals and humans. For pregnant women, the Centres for Disease Control advises against handling new or stray cats so as to avoid the risk of contracting toxoplasmosis, a parasite-borne illness that can lead to birth defects. 

For those not subject to such concerns, however, the benefits of a companion animal are compelling. If you are contemplating getting a cuddly, furry-tailed friend, and cannot resist those puppy dog eyes at the shelter, then do not worry, for science is on your side.