Best pets for loneliness: a new study shows that having a pet indeed acts as a buffer against stress and loneliness, but that the type of pet does not really matter,
The study consisted of 6,000 residents of the UK who have at least one pet.
About 90% of them said their pet helped them emotionally cope.
And 96% said their pet helped them stay fit and active.
More than 40% of UK households are estimated to own at least one pet.
All species of pets are the best pets for loneliness
The strength of this link did not significantly differ between species. “The strength of the emotional bond with pets did not statistically differ by animal species,” said lead author Elena Ratschen of the University of York.
“People in our sample felt on average as emotionally close to, for example, their guinea pig as they felt to their dog,” she said.
The effects were stronger for people who had lower baseline scores for mental health-related outcomes.
The study also found that the most popular interaction with non-pet animals is birdwatching.
Almost 55% of the people surveyed reported watching and feeding birds in their garden.
Having a pet vs a companion animal
Companion animals are animals that live in a human household and are subject to the humans’ control and care.
The origin of this term is in the late middle-English period, from the French compagnon or “companion”.
It was used to refer to animals kept as pets.
Companion animals include horses, cats, dogs, rabbits, ferrets, guinea pigs, monkeys, rodents, snakes, lizards, tarantulas, and birds.
The most popular pets are dogs and cats, and to a lesser extent are rabbits and fish.
Pets provide a variety of benefits to their owners and society in general.
In one sense, some important companion animals are those that are identified by their function, and other animals are simply “pets”, as opposed to working animals, or animals kept for food.
Horses and working animals are generally considered outside the sphere of pet animals.
But in practical terms, they are very similar since they are all creatures kept for companionship, as well as for practical purposes other than food.
Companion animals are becoming increasingly popular.
By the end of 2010, there were more than 70 million companion animals in the United States, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.
Check out these other articles about maintaining domestic bliss:
- Why do children love animals more than adults do? New research takes a look.
- This dog personality test shows that dogs become less curious, but more attached, as they age.
- This new study shows the benefits of pets for teens: better social skills, and less time alone.
- How to introduce a new cat or dog to your home in 6 easy steps. The process isn’t nearly as difficult as people make it out to be!
- How can you stop your cat from hunting wildlife? More meat, and more play-time, new study finds.
- This study of cats and dogs living together finds they get along just fine.
