People put off getting a pet because they think it’ll make their house messy, or cut into their alone time. Little do they know, adopting a furry or reptilian friend is the best decision you could make. Here are some reasons why.
1. They’re beneficial for your cardiovascular health. Having a dog lowers risk of heart disease, thanks to their amazing stress relieving properties.
2. Also connected to their stress-busting perks, dogs are the perfect therapists – they provide support without making you talk. Dogs can help with everything from chemo, to depression, to PTSD or physical therapy patients.
3. They can smell illnesses. Why waste your money on pointless doctor’s bills when your dog is a secret superhero that fights illnesses?
4. They prevent you from living a sedentary lifestyle. Having a dog forces you to walk twice a day, and makes dog owners almost 34% more likely to reach the required 150 minutes of weekly exercise.
5. They prevent loneliness and ensure that you’re never without a friend. This is more vital than you’d think in this day and age. Pets increase self-esteem and bounce back from social rejection, with women and singles benefiting the most.
6. It’s like having a bodyguard at home. Animals are fiercely protective of their owners, especially dogs. They’re a burglar alarm, but cute and fuzzy.
7. They strengthen your immune system. Petting a dog alone can help prevent you from contracting colds as frequently. The benefits are physical as well as mental!
8. It provides you with more positive energy, even though you might think it drains your energy. Even folks who are battling diseases find that having a pet motivates them to stay alive, happy, and thriving, even in moments of weakness.
9. It helps you budget. Think about it as practice for having a kid, but a cheaper version! Having a pet helps you reevaluate earning, spending and saving habits which is a strong life skill.
10. You’ll never have a friend that’s more loyal. Pets never disappoint or manipulate you the way that people do, because their hearts are filled with pure goodness. For people who have been hurt before, this is a beautiful thing.
11. They make you clean our house more often. Unless you have a fish, having a pet probably means you have to clean up their fur or wash they food and water bowl. Cleaning up after pets encourages you to keep your house more clean, generally.
12. It gives you a sense of responsibility and structure. This might not sounds like a pro at first, but rising to the occasion makes you a more reliable and self starting person who sticks to commitment.
