Unreachable, autistic children have been known to utter their first words in years when confronted with a puppy or bunny rabbit. If pets can reach these people, they're bound to help the rest of us. Exercise I walk and jog more because I have a dog. When I'm feeling lazy, at the end of the day, my dog is not going to let me off the hook. This need to walk the dog is a real help to older Americans and single folks, stimulating exercise and even, perhaps, some rare human contact from fellow pet lovers.
Nothing encourages an easier social encounter.
With pets come responsibilities. This is a two-edged sword. Responsibility can be a chore, resented and neglected. More often, the need to care for another provides a sense of worth, a reason to live and love. The child with a pet learns lessons that start a lifetime of healthy, disciplined habits.