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Haley Crozier

ENG 1201

Dr. Cassel

7 March 2021

How Can Pets Help Improve Mental Health?

Dogs are known as “man’s best friend”, but how true is this statement really and how

deep does it go? Many people buy pets for company and companionship, however, people are

often getting much more than this. Pets can provide so much love to their owners and it is now

believed that they can greatly help people struggling with mental illnesses. But how exactly are

pets able to do this?

Animals have been around just as long as we have, if not longer. They have always been

useful to humans because of the work they can do for us and the resources they can provide us

with. However, now man’s relationship with animals has transformed into that of love,

companionship, and comfort. Today, pets and service animals are used all over the world to help

people suffering from mental illnesses and disabilities as well as to comfort people through

companionship. Many studies have been done, especially more recently regarding how pets can

help with mental illnesses as well as if it actually is an actual true concept. Something that was

found in one of the studies done was that service dogs can be used as a complementary treatment

for 9/11 veterans suffering from PTSD (which affects over 30%). Another important study was

done by professors at Florida State University, the University of New York, and the Waltham

Centre for Pet Nutrition. The study found that pets can help lower loneliness, depression, and the

feeling of loss after a death or divorce occurs. The use of pets as companions and social animals
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has greatly increased in the past few decades and continues to grow (Carr)(Feldman)(“Our Pets

Make Us Smile and Laugh”).

A study done by Science Daily found that dogs can greatly help reduce stress in college

students. Students at the University of Surrey as well as Middlesex University and Edinburgh

Napier University are among the first to try this technique with their students. As was found in

the study, this approach to helping reduce stress greatly helped the students. Now, it is being

encouraged to introduce dog sessions at periods of increased stress for the students (“Our Pets

Make Us Smile and Laugh”)(Feldman). This information from these sources have all been

backed by research as well as different studies which help to enforce this idea even more!

Pets can also have many other positive benefits other than just reducing stress. According

to different studies mentioned in the articles found it has been concluded that they can help lower

blood pressure, cholesterol, symptoms of post-traumatic stress, levels of depression, levels of

loneliness and social isolation, as well as many other mental illnesses. This is perhaps part of the

reason why so many more people are owning pets than ever before. Many pet owners are clear

about the immediate joys and happiness pets bring to their lives (Feldman)(Robinson)(“HABRI -

Top 5 Mental Health Benefits of Pets”). This key point of these sources are undoubtedly aimed

at people struggling with mental illnesses to encourage them to think about getting a pet.

Pets cannot only reduce these types of feelings, but also increase many important

feelings! The reliability of the sources that encompass these ideas is aided by studies both funded

by and not funded by the sponsors of them as well as supported by much outside research. Pets

have been found to increase levels of companionship, resilience, life satisfaction, overall

psychological well-being, as well as serotonin and dopamine (which calm and relax). Scientific

research also shows that they can make a big difference in the lives of those suffering from
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mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, loneliness, and stress (Feldman)(Robinson)

(“HABRI - Top 5 Mental Health Benefits of Pets”).

There are many animals that have been found to have a positive effect on humans. The

sources found to support this idea use both reason and research to help drive their ideas.

Consequently, these sources are aimed to encourage people to get pets, not because they will

profit off of it but because it is genuinely good for people’s well - being. Birds, horses, rabbits,

dogs, cats, snakes, lizards, and even fish have all been instituted to help humans in different

ways. Horses, for example are used in equine assisted therapy as well as intervention to help

troubled kids, children with autism, and kids with bad home lives. As the pet industry continues

to grow, so will people’s understanding of how pets help us (Feldman)(Robinson).

Common misconceptions that surround this topic are vast. However, a main false idea is

that only service animals can help one’s health, which of course is untrue. Almost all of the

sources found prove this idea wrong with statistics, quotes, and research. Pets have been found to

help in almost every instance of physical and mental health. Someone does not need a service

animal to help them exercise, bring them joy, comfort them after losing a loved one, etc

(Feldman)(Robinson)(“HABRI - Top 5 Mental Health Benefits of Pets”)(Carr).

After analyzing all of the sources it is clear that the question “How can pets help improve

mental health” is a multifaceted question as well as answer. More research must be done and I

am hopeful to find some websites because this seems to be where I got the most

information.However, I have concluded that pets help us mentally, physically, and emotionally.

They bring us joy and other benefits still. Pets are clearly positively connected to the happiness

pet owners feel, but as to how exactly they help is simple; they provide us with unconditional

love and support.

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Bibliography

Carr, Dawn C., et al. “Psychological Health Benefits of Companion Animals Following a

Social Loss.” Gerontologist, vol. 60, no. 3, Apr. 2020, pp. 428–438. EBSCOhost,

search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edb&AN=142592834&site=eds-live.

Feldman, Steven. “How Science Supports Pets for Improving Your Mental Health.”

Mental Health America, Mental Health America, 2021, www.mhanational.org/blog/how-

science-supports-pets-improving-your-mental-health.

"Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) Announces Shareable Infographic:

Top 5 Mental Health Benefits Of Pets." PR Newswire, 4 May 2020. Gale In Context:

High School, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A622650785/SUIC?

u=spri92481&sid=SUIC&xid=258d8a97. Accessed 6 Mar. 2021.

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“Our Pets Make Us Smile and Laugh - but They Might Also Help Improve the Health of

the Nation. Should CPs Be Making Greater Use of Animal-Assisted Therapy?

CREATURE COMFORT.” Community Practitioner, vol. 92, no. 8, Oct. 2019, pp. 42–

44. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?

direct=true&db=ccm&AN=138812709&site=eds-live.

Robinson, Lawrence. “The Health and Mood-Boosting Benefits of Pets.” HelpGuide.org,

HelpGuide.org, Sept. 2020, www.helpguide.org/articles/mental-health/mood-boosting-

power-of-dogs.htm.