Everyone should own at least one pet in their lifetime. I personally could not go without having at least one pet at all times. I love my 3 dogs very much and have had them for so long that they feel like part of my family. There are many great benefits to owning a pet, from combating loneliness to extra home security pets can serve almost anyone a purpose.
Animals are normally seen to be very agreeable friends to people. This is because they neither question our actions nor do they pass criticisms or judgement to an individual or the owner. Instead of having friends who may be a bad influence, most people would prefer to keep animals. Not saying you shouldn’t have any friends, but by having an animal you will never be truly by yourself.
Animals can help your get out and be more social. Most pet owners will meet in various places, such as the park, and share experiences about their pets. Pets can therefore act as conversational ice breakers. Many other pet owners will instantly want to strike up a conversation as soon as they see you. Be it dog or cat owners, they will always have something to discuss when they meet. Try it out, it really works.
Pets are also likely to encourage you to get regular exercises. For instance, dogs can be taken out for evening walks. During this time, the owner will also get exercise. This may be a very good way to get you into shape. Pets are also known to be a prescription for good health and positive moods. Playing with an animal will take your mind off problems and life’s day-to-day stressors. All these are likely to reduce stress levels thus ensuring overall good health. Owning pets will help you fight depression and cope with the loss of a loved one.
Pets also increase relaxation among people. This explains why most medical doctors and dentists usually have fish tanks in the patients’ waiting rooms. Being in the presence of a calm animal or even watching fish swim is likely to help calm hyperactive kids. This has the effect of lowering heart diseases while at the same time it reduces the chances of an individual suffering from high blood pressure.
Pets also provide constant companionship to their owners. Even pets like rabbits and fish that require little time and attention can still provide some levels of companionship. This will help prevent boredom and loneliness. Pets may also help in your personal growth. Owning pets may help an individual learn very valuable life skills. These include learning how to share love, give attention, and even provide love for the animals. All these qualities would enhance the well-being of an individual.
Pets will also increase a sense of security to their owners. Weather it is a dog or a cat, they are likely to increase the level of security within the home. For instance, dogs are usually known to bark at strangers when they spot them especially at night. This is likely to scare away people with bad intentions like thieves. Cats can also meow to alert the owner of oncoming strangers. This is likely to make an individual to feel very secure, knowing that they can trust their pets to alert them of any coming dangers.
Keeping pets will also help an individual to prepare for parenthood. This is because pets especially puppies and kittens usually requiring proper training and care. It is therefore a safer way to putting care giving capabilities of an individual to test before they give birth. Pets also help in physical touch. Infants who are not touched enough may fail to develop physically and mentally. This is because touch help in brain development. Many people are afraid of touching small infants and usually resort to pets as a safer alternative. By spending time holding your pet it may make you more comfortable touching infants.
Owning pets can also teach kids to be disciplined and responsible. This is because kids can always learn ways of sharing their time with their pets, they may also be able to care for their pets since most parents usually leave the pets under the supervision of their children. Children who grow together with pets will also grow more empathy. This is because most of them see the pets as their peers and understand them better than adults. They may even be able to learn how to read the pet’s body language and understand the animals wants and needs. This will carry on even when they grow up and will help them to understand human body language better. In general, pets usually promote the well-being of children as they grow.
Pets will also keep the house where they are kept pest free. For instance, cats and dogs will always chase rats and mice away and even kill them. They can also keep the house clean by picking food particles that drop on the floor. The cost for upkeep on a pet isn’t really that bad either. Most animals will eat about what we spend in a day on ourselves in one month worth of animal food. The vet bills usually aren’t very much either. I spent less than $100 per year for vet bills the entire life of my dog.
You can also raise animals as a source of extra income. There are many people who breed dogs and sell their offspring for a good amount of extra cash.
Because of all the benefits associated with owning pets, it is always advisable that a person at least owns a one pet in their lifetime. Apart from the commonly known pets like dogs and cats, there are other species of pets like a horse, rabbits, fish, snakes, chickens, etc. This provides you the freedom of choice in case you do not like a particular species. Adopting a pet may also help save the life of those pets that do not have anywhere to live.
This is just some of the great benefits being a pet owner can bring. There is such much love and happiness you animals will provide for you no matter what for many years. I suggest trying this out as an alternative to some of the other ways of doing personal development and you might be shocked with the results. Thanks and good luck!