by L. Landrum

Created on: October 03, 2009   Last Updated: October 08, 2009

An "apple" head chihuahua a day keeps the doctor away! Is it true that pets can make you healthier and cause you to live longer?

It is a known fact that having pets can help with depression and that having pets does cheer you up. But what about the unknown effects owning a pet does for you?

Did you know that owning a pet can help with your:

1. Blood pressure

2. Cholesterol levels
3. Triglyceride levels
4. Feelings of loneliness

Did you know that owning a pet is also:

1. A date magnet...a cute pup draws people to you!

2. An allergy fighter! A growing number of studies have suggested that kids growing with "furred animals" - a pet cat or dog, will have less risk of allergies and asthma.

A recent study done by the MU News Bureau links pets to better health:

http://munews.missouri.edu/events/2009/1020-a-pet-in -your-life-keeps-the-doctor-away-2/

One power quote from the MU News Bureau states: "Pets are of great importance to people, especially during hard economic times, Johnson said. Pets provide unconditional love and acceptance and may be part of answers to societal problems, such as inactivity and obesity.

It is a known fact that organizations will bring pets to nursing homes and hospitals as therapy for the elderly and the sick.

In fact the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) , issued a statement supporting the health benefits of animal companionship for people.

http://www.avma.org/careforanimals/default.asp

Web MD also has numerous articles direct from Physicians that are very clear in the proof that pets help you!

www.webmd.com/...high.../5-ways-pets-improve-your-he alth

For more information: This fall, the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine Research Center for Human-Animal Interaction (ReCHAI) will explore the many ways animals benefit people of all ages during the International Society for Anthrozoology and Human-Animal Interaction Conference in Kansas City, Mo., on Oct. 20-25.

This will be very informative and a lot of fun to attend.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/91445 recently posted an article that states: Research shows that caring for an animal can improve your mental and physical well-being.

The fact that there are so many proven well written, well informed documents definetely leads one to believe that owning a pet is beneficial to your health.

According to the research by the Delta Society and others, there is not a
significant social or economic difference between people who do or do not have a
pet that adequately explains

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