Don’t we just love pets? Cats, dogs, bunnies, hamsters, parrots, fish – those adorable creatures certainly add color to our lives. People keep pets for different reasons. And all of those reasons put together make owning a pet all the more amazing. If you already have a pet, you would relate to the points in this article. If you’re looking to get a pet, however, the following advantages should make you go for it. So, let us look at some of the advantages of being a pet owner.
Four reasons why you should consider being a pet owner?
1. They are multi-purpose
Pets can be a lot of things. Friends whom you can rant to and confide in (true, you don’t expect good advice from them but they aren’t going to tell anyone your secrets after all), companions who would stick with you throughout the day – when you prepare meals, do the laundry, or even exercise. Not just that, they serve as security allies.
Those who own pets notice that they can often rely on them to be security-conscious, whether or not they are guard dogs by nature. They bark, purr, or do anything else to signal the presence of an intruder, for example. Studies have shown that they have a good judgment of character and can detect when a person is shady. So keeping a pet is not simply having another mouth to feed. It is having a friend, confidant, and occasional security buddy, all in one package.
2. Being a Pet owner improves your physical health
One guaranteed exercise you are likely to do on a regular basis when you are a pet owner is pet-walking. For instance, by taking your dog out on daily walks, irrespective of its breed or size, you burn out some calories. So, both you and your dog can stay healthy. Playing fetch with your dog or being pulled around and chasing after it will cause you to expend more energy. In time, you will find out that your general physical health has improved. This, however, is one of the advantages of being a pet owner mostly enjoyed by dog owners. Health experts even suggest that having a dog helps your heart.
3. As a pet owner, your emotional health gets better
Keeping a pet or two helps you physically. But it does more by improving your overall health. It may appear to be hardly possible, but even your emotional health gets better when you keep pets. Spending time with your pet can reduce anxiety and stress, factors that contribute to serious health issues. Cuddling your cat, talking to your parrot, gently stroking your dog, or watching your fish – these activities can have a soothing effect on you as with many pet owners. Offering companionship is one of the ways pets provide emotional support. Studies even show that blood pressure levels tend to be lower in those who are pet owners than those who are not.
4. Having pets makes you responsible
This is undoubtedly one of the foremost advantages of being a pet owner for children. If you want your kids to learn to be responsible early enough, get them a pet. Or, if a pet is already part of the family, assign its care duties to your child. Make sure it’s a task the child can handle. It may be feeding the pet, taking it for a walk around the house (or park for older kids), giving it a bath, etc. Then hold him/her responsible for the duty by commending him/her when it is done and correcting the child when he/she fails to carry out the assignment.
With time, your kids would learn skills that they would need to become responsible adults like owning up to their mistakes, patience, and empathy, to mention a few. Even for adults, taking care of pets presents a different spectrum of responsibility as you now have under your care, another living creature who depends on you for its existence.
Final Thoughts
Getting a pet and keeping it has more benefits than merely having a cute animal friend. There are actually advantages that owning a pet brings, like improving your health and responsibility. As a bonus, you’ll see how many potential friends in the pet ownership community whom you are likely to meet at the park, fairs, or even the vet. So, if you have the means, just take on the opportunity and get all the advantages that come with being a pet owner.
