by M. Morrison

Created on: October 02, 2009   Last Updated: December 05, 2009

In the United States alone, there are approximately 74.8 million owned dogs and 88.3 million owned cats. 1 Now consider that this is only one country, and only two kinds of pets, and imagine how many pets are owned world-wide.

Clearly, there is a reason so many people take to owning a pet - some like the company, some like having a little extra responsibility, some like the feeling of security, and some just enjoy pets in general. The bottom line is pets make us happy; if they didn't, why would so many people own one? Increased happiness has been linked to good health, so if pets make us happy, it stands to reason that owning a pet can make us healthier. Pets can provide us with a reason to get out and exercise, an emotional boost on a bad day, or that little bit of mental stimulation that keeps us from going crazy when we're bored out of our wits.

Some days you wake up and just don't feel like doing anything. It's cold and rainy and Your New Year's resolution to walk every morning is hanging over your head, but you just can't find a good reason to drag yourself out of bed quite yet. After five minutes, you decide that missing one day can't hurt - and then Fido pokes your bedroom door open with his nose and gives you those big eyes. You can try to resist the puppy-eyes, or you can take him for his morning walk and get on with your day.

Many people get a dog for just this reason; they want that little bit of extra motivation to get outside and get moving. When you only have to look after yourself, it's easy to put things off, but when someone - or something - else is depending on you, it's not as convenient. He'll stare at you, he'll whine, and if you don't listen, you'll be cleaning your carpet - not something you want to be doing when your schedule is already packed. We all need exercise to stay healthy, and a dog provides the perfect motivation for those of us who need an extra push to get going.

Of course, our physical health doesn't stand on its own; our emotional health is a big part of our overall health. Fortunately, pets can help us in this area as well. A study in 1999 showed that men with AIDS who did not own a pet were approximately three times more likely to report symptoms of depression than men who did not have AIDS, while those who did own pets were only about 50 percent more likely to report such symptoms than men who did not have AIDS.

2 Pets are there when people are not, and it's this companionship that can help ease negative feelings. Whether

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