If looking at animal pictures is not enough to soothe your soul, maybe you should consider getting a pet. Studies show that pets can increase dopamine and serotonin levels in our bodies. Furthermore, when dogs and humans interact, both of them get a boost of the feel-good hormone oxytocin.

So far, there’s also minimal but increasing evidence that pets can benefit our physical health, too. Simply stroking a pet or watching fish swim in an aquarium, can help us relax and lower our heart rate and blood pressure. Animal presence seems to be so effective that pet owners are less prone to heart attacks and more likely to survive one if it happens.

In addition to health factors, pets can also help when it comes to socializing. Research suggests that having an animal companion can lead to more social interactions. This is especially notable when it comes to dog owners. Pets help their humans bond in a way that creates friendships that go beyond superficial hellos at a dog park and offer tangible support. 

The list of advantages seems to extend even further as these findings make the researchers believe that pets are beneficial to communities. People connecting over their shared love for their four-legged friends might help create healthier neighborhoods. 

However, you don’t need to own a pet to enjoy the benefits of animal interaction. Animal Assisted Activities (AAA) can be a viable option for people who cannot afford a pet in terms of time, room, and energy. This type of pet visitation is not limited to cats and dogs either, with horses, llamas, and rabbits being some of the other fun options.

Again, the outcomes of AAA seem to be quite positive. Various hospitalized psychiatric patients show reduced fear and anxiety as well as more pro-social behaviors after participating in AAA. In particular, schizophrenic patients that engage in animal assisted activities show improvements in social functioning. Older patients that suffer from dementia and Alzheimer’s also show notable improvements in their behavior.

While research in the field is still minimal and lacking this doesn’t mean that helping individuals heal through animals is a completely new idea, people have noticed the positive impacts an animal’s presence has on a human as early as the late eighteenth century. And while empirical data doesn’t always support it, one cannot deny the feeling you get when a cat decides to sit in your lap.

To put it all in a less meandering way, animals are good for you. So, pet a dog when you have a chance, look at the birds outside, or go admire fishes in a pond. And feel free to bookmark and come back to this animal meme list whenever you need a breather.