Pets and your health
Early man feared wild animals as predators but hunted them for subsistence. As people began to farm, they quickly learned to domesticate animals to share the burden of work and to provide meat, milk, and eggs. But for most modern city dwellers, animals function mainly as pets. About 60% of American households, in fact, have one or more pets. Pets can be lovable, amusing, or maddening — but can they also have an impact on health?
| Placebo pets Contact with animals may help reduce the loneliness of life in a long-term care facility. In a 2008 study, researchers in St. Louis evaluated the emotional impact of a live dog and an interactive robotic "dog." Both pets reduced loneliness to the same degree, and the long-term care residents became attached to both. As for the care and feeding… |
To continue reading this article, you must log in.
Subscribe to Harvard Health Online for immediate access to health news and information from Harvard Medical School.
- Research health conditions
- Check your symptoms
- Prepare for a doctor's visit or test
- Find the best treatments and procedures for you
- Explore options for better nutrition and exercise
I'd like to receive access to Harvard Health Online for only $4.99 a month.
Sign Me UpAlready a member? Login ».
Disclaimer:
As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles.
No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
