Pets give us someone to care for. When you add up the small daily acts of caring for a pet feeding, grooming, exercising the sum total is a pet owner with a feeling of being needed. Having that sense of purpose and responsibility is a valuable learning tool for children and can help fight loneliness, boredom, and depression, especially in the elderly or socially isolated. Pets help people be more sociable. Even among families and friends, pets provide a focus of conversation and activity.
Pets stimulate exercise.
Pets promote vitality through active exercise - such as brisk walking and outdoor games or therapy for disabled hands through regular grooming of pets. Pets comfort with touch. The gentle stroking of a pet can reduce stress and lower blood pressure and, when combined with quiet talk, create a feeling of relaxation, intimacy, and closeness. The Humane Society of the United States. All rights reserved.