Is Having a Pet Good for Your Health?

Besides cheering you up after a bad day, having a pet may bring other health benefits to their owners as well, says the National Institutes of Health (NIH), as long as you’re not allergic to animals or terrified of them. A growing number of studies are discovering the ways pets can help us lead healthier lives.

A study found that 421 adults who had suffered heart attacks, those who owned dogs were more likely to be alive a year later than those who didn’t own dogs.
The owners also get more exercise and social connection from walking their dogs.

Families with allergies can still get a pet if they can commit to allergy shots. But those shots typically need to be taken every week for about half a year and then every two to four weeks after that.

So, if you don’t have a pet yet, think about it!