Evidence for long term effects of pet ownership on human health

To determine the impact of pet ownership on human health and well-being, a 10-month prospective study was carried out which investigated changes in behaviour and health status in 71 adult subjects following the acquisition of a new pet (either a dog or a cat). A non-matching control group of 26 subjects without pets served as a comparison over the same period. The control group exhibited no statistically significant changes in any health or lifestyle variable apart from a small increase in walking between the beginning and end of the study. In contrast, both pet-owning groups reported a highly significant reduction in minor health problems during the first month following pet acquisition, and this effect was sustained in dog owners until 10 months. The pet-owning groups also showed significant improvements in psychological well-being over the first six months and, in dog owners, this improvement was maintained until 10 months. In addition, dog owners underwent an improvement in self-esteem and were less afraid of being the victims of crime, 10 months after acquiring a dog. They also took considerably more physical exercise in the form of dog walking, and this effect continued throughout the period of study. The findings overall suggest that pet ownership can have a positive impact on human health and behaviour, and that in some cases these effects are relatively long lasting.