Should you get pet? While pet ownership may not be for everyone, there are a variety of benefits to having a pet. A few of these benefits include:
- Companionship – you are never alone when you have a pet. Pets are supportive and nonjudgmental companions that can help to stave off loneliness by their very presence. Plus, they offer an activity or hobby that can be a bridge to other pet owners.
- Improved physical health- increasingly, medical studies demonstrate that pet ownership can have ancillary health benefits that go beyond the emotional and psychological benefits and actually help to foster good physical health. Recent studies show that pet ownership has been linked to a drop in blood pressure and cholesterol levels and a reduced risk of heart disease.
- More exercise and activity – caring for a pet often increases the amount of walking, exercise and play activity that pet owners engage in – another healthy benefit!
- Important helper services – many people depend on animals to provide valuable support services. Dogs and other trained animals can provide support for the vision or hearing impaired, can assist in detecting diseases, and can be a therapeutic alternative for the ill, the elderly, survivors of trauma, and the bereaved.
Sounds great? It is. But before getting a pet, it is important to ensure that a pet will fit your unique lifestyle, budget, and expectations. Pet ownership represents a long-term commitment that entails a high degree of responsibility since your animal will depend on you to fulfill its needs. Various pets and breeds of pets offer advantages and disadvantages that should be carefully considered.
The following resources might help in determining whether pet ownership is right for you and what type of pet to choose:
Choosing and Naming a Pet: http://www.theeap.com/blog/resources/choosing-naming-a-pet/
Choosing the Right Pet for You: http://www.bestfriends.org/theanimals/pdfs/allpets/choosingapet.pdf
Ten Rules For Choosing The Right Pet: http://www.2ndchance.info/choospet.htm
Choosing the Right Cat: http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_adoption_information/choosing_the_right_cat.html
Choosing the Right Dog: http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_adoption_information/choosing_the_right_dog.html