You & Your Pet

The Oxford Dictionary defines the word "pet" as "an animal that is tamed and treated with affection, kept for companionship or amusement.

In the UK almost half of all households own a pet and research has shown that pets are good for our health.

Pets play an important part in our lives and many are treated as 'one of the family'. Our pets provide a constant source of enjoyment, companionship and fun, and many pets thrive in a family and household environment.

Continuing research is also proving that pet ownership has considerable health benefits. One key benefit is that of exercise - dog walking or playing with a cat is a great way for people to burn a few more calories. In addition, contact with animals can bring real physiological and psychological benefits: reducing stress, helping to prevent illness and allergies, lowering of blood pressure and aiding recovery after a serious illness or accident.

Studies have shown that pet owners have measurable lower levels of cholesterol and blood pressure (where not linked to dietary changes).

The benefit of pet ownership isn't limited to physical well-being. Owning a pet can help recently widowed people in dealing with stress in that they are able to talk to their animals at a time when they feel unable to share their feelings with other people.

In addition to reducing stress, pets can also aid recovery from illness. Research indicates that owning a pet can improve a person's chances of survival after a life-threatening illness such as a heart attack. Pet owners were also found to use the medical services considerably less frequently than non-pet owners.