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Puppy love: pets and your health

by Jessica Goulburn | 11 Feb 2013

With 33 million pets registered in Australia, it’s clear that animals have a significant impact on our lives.

According to the Australian Companion Animal Council (ACAC), of Australia’s eight million households, 2.9 million, or 36 per cent, include a dog, 1.8 million house a cat, and there are approximately 18.4 million fish, just over eight million birds and over one million other pets including horses, guinea pigs and rabbits. 

Healthy pets, healthy lives

Research has shown that there is a direct relationship between owning a pet and improved overall health, which can be exceptionally beneficial to people as they get older. Experts believe that the impact companion animals have on an owner’s health is largely the result of lower stress levels. 

In the early 1980s, a study found that pet owners were less likely to die in the 12 months following a heart attack than non-pet owners. This was tested again in the 90s, proving the initial results accurate.

The act of petting a dog or a cat has a calming effect. Dr Peter Higgins, veterinarian and Dogs NSW spokesperson, was involved in a study that looked at how pets can help their owners medically, as well as help people in hospital recovering from surgery or illness, and people in nursing homes.

“Petting a dog can decrease your blood pressure quite significantly,” Dr Higgins says. “The study also found that people had an increased zest for life after they had spent time with a dog.” 

A 1992 study revealed that pet owners had lower levels of risk factors for heart disease, including lower blood pressure and lower cholesterol, while an English study has also shown that minor illnesses and complaints were reduced in people who owned pets and that owners of dogs were more physically active. 

How do I know which pet is for me?

As long as the pet you choose interests you, the therapeutic benefit is there. However, it is important that the pet you have selected fits your personality, lifestyle and living space.

Most pets, especially dogs, need structure in their day and space to spread out and play. However, don’t be deterred just because you live in a small space or a rental property. Dogs and cats can successfully live in highly urbanised areas, it’s just about finding the right breed.

“If you’re living in a unit, you could get a small dog, a cat or a budgie,” Peter advises. Often, it is not the size of the backyard or the apartment that matters, it is how you care for and manage your pet in the space that you have. 

Another consideration is how much time you have to commit to your pet. A dog, for example, requires lots of attention and activity. You need to be there to feed your dog, walk it frequently and keep it entertained. A cat, on the other hand, is usually quite content to keep itself amused. If you don’t have much time to spare, you may also want to consider the bird, reptile or fish option. These pets still provide companionship, just in a different way. They are still mostly dependent on you for their livelihood and they still need your love and care. 

Bringing your pet home

There are so many places to find a pet that it can be hard to know where to start. Buying a dog or cat from a reputable, registered breeder gives you the opportunity to visit the facility and gather all relevant information including where your pet comes from and what the future holds.

“You know the size [a purebred animal] is going to become, you know its temperament, you know how hairy it's going to be and how much it's going to eat,” Peter says.

The best place to buy a four-legged pet if you are after a purebred is a reputable, registered breeder. Puppy mills or puppy farms are not the things of gruesome fairytales; they do exist, and they represent both horrible lives for the animals kept to breed and questionable – at best – health standards of the puppies.

Adopting a dog or cat from a shelter gives it a second chance at life. Many animals end up at shelters because their owners can no longer care for them, or they are lost, injured and abandoned. The RSPCA receives more than 150,000 animals every year and aims to rehabilitate and rehome each one,

On top of that enormous number, are plenty of animals with other rescue organisations and a wide range of breed-specific rescue programs run by breeders and breed clubs.

This means that even prospective dog owners who want a purebred can find their perfect match and give a home to a grateful furry friend.

While breed-specific rescue organisations will be able to provide the pedigree details of some surrendered dogs, when it comes to adopting a pet from a shelter, you will usually not have all health records of the animal available to you. It is also possible that, even though your new pet may have undergone health and temperament checks, you will never know exactly what breed the animal is or whether it is at risk of genetic conditions.

If this is a risk you are willing to take, adopting an animal from a shelter is a win-win situation. You give the animal a much needed home, while the animal repays you with unconditional love and devoted affection.