A Furry Friend Could be Just What the Doctor Ordered: The Science-Backed Health Benefits of Pet Ownership
- jenryan02013
- Nov 9
- 7 min read
Updated: Nov 17
November 9, 2025
By Jennifer Ryan, Executive Director, Palmer & Riley Animal Care
In an era marked by unprecedented levels of anxiety, depression, and feelings of isolation – particularly among teens and young adults — pets can be powerful allies. The companionship and unconditional love we receive from our pets has been clearly tied to improvements in both physical and mental health.
As we scroll through the endless feeds, reels, and ads on our phones – uncannily curated, just for us by a mysterious algorithm – the things that never fail to generate a smile or a chuckle are those cute animal photos and videos. Six cats trying to cram themselves into a mixing bowl…Puppies tumbling over each other to get a bite of a new chew toy or get closer to their mama…People doing yoga with goats…There is no end to the cuteness.
Indeed, pet ownership has never been more popular – 62% of Americans own a pet and 35% have more than one animal. Ninety-seven percent of pet owners consider them part of the family; and half of these owners say their pet is on par with their human family members, according to a Pew Research Center survey.[i][ii] This is not just because they are furry and cute (although it doesn’t hurt!). Having pets around can increase our sense of well-being and belonging, reduce stress, combat loneliness, and help us be more physically healthy.
This might seem obvious to those of us who are already converted, but there is science behind how we feel about our pets. Decades of research have now been devoted to understanding how interacting with pets (especially dogs and cats, but horses, lizards, and rabbits too) contribute to our physical and emotional health. A growing body of evidence is showing that engaging with animals can be therapeutic for children, adults, and the elderly alike.
Having a pet is actually good for your heart.
Pet ownership and interaction has been shown to help prevent the risk of disease in the long term and improve our mental health and quality of life in the immediate term.
The American Heart Association (AHA) has studied the effects of pet ownership on heart health, concluding that pet ownership is linked to reductions in blood pressure and lower risk of cardiovascular disease. In 2022, the AHA further reported that dog owners tend to have lower resting heart rates and lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels than non-owners.[iii] A study of over 2,400 cat owners concluded there was a significantly lower relative risk for death due to cardiovascular disease, including stroke and heart attack, compared to non-owners during a 20-year follow-up.[iv] The research acknowledges that these positive indications are also tied to the increased likelihood that dog owners are more physically active, spend time outside, and have more social interaction, but there is clearly more to it than exercise.
A growing body of evidence is also showing that even exposing new babies and young children to pets can help prevent health issues. Research findings out of Sweden and Australia indicate that exposure to furry pets in the home during a child’s first year of life can reduce their chance of developing chronic conditions like asthma, eczema, and hay fever.[v]
Pets are also good for the soul.
The unconditional love and companionship pets can provide is priceless in many ways. Pet ownership can have a huge positive impact on our mental and emotional health – especially related to coping with stress.
In addition to the physical signs of stress, like a rapid heart rate and muscle and nerve tightness, a key internal measure of our stress levels is the amount of cortisol that is being released by our brains to help us cope. Cortisol releases can be a positive thing when we are competing in sports or preparing for a test or a presentation. But our stress levels become “toxic” when we experience a high intensity of this cortisol release over prolonged periods of time. Exposure to adversity before the age of 18 (also known as Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) can lead to this prolonged activation of the biological stress response. Exposure to three or more ACEs increases the risk factors for 9 of the top 10 causes of death in the US. [vii]
Interactions with animals have been clearly tied to helping us cope with stressors. In a study of a group of college students, those who engaged with animals for just 10 minutes experienced a notable reduction in their cortisol levels, showcasing the immediate physiological benefits of pet companionship. Having a pet at home with you (or in the office) has also been shown to reduce stress and increase employee satisfaction at work.[viii]
This evidence is borne out when pet owners are surveyed about their experience as a pet parent - nearly 70% expressed that their pets help reduce anxiety and loneliness and 95% report that they rely on their furry friend(s) for emotional support.[ix]
“Sitting quietly and stroking your pet's soft coat can trigger the release of oxytocin, the so-called love hormone.”
--Dr. Beth Frates, Massachusetts General Hospital
Therapeutic Benefits
Dogs have supported the rehabilitation process for people who have had strokes, seizure disorders, and traumatic brain injuries. In addition to providing emotional support, the dogs actually participated in their owners' physical therapy sessions. [xii]
A series of studies led by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) over the past ten years looked at the benefits of interactions between animals and children with autism, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and other developmental conditions.[x] In one study, a group of children with ADHD read to a therapy dog once a week for 30 minutes over a several month period. The children noticeably improved their cooperation, volunteering, and sharing skills and exhibited fewer behavioral problems. Another study found that after a group of children with autism spectrum disorder spent 10 minutes in a supervised playtime with guinea pigs, their anxiety levels decreased, they had better social interactions, and engaged more with their peers.[xi]
Interactions with pets can also help families manage Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. One study showed that a group of long-term care facility residents who spent time with a therapy dog every day exhibited a decrease in distress and agitation and an increase in awareness and communication skills during activities. A study of elderly patients with Alzheimer’s Disease found that after the introduction of an aquarium into the facility, residents began eating more and gaining weight, improving their moods and overall quality of life. The benefits of animal-assisted therapy have also been found to carry over to caregivers – significantly improving their own levels of distress and anxiety. [xiii]
The growing affordability crisis.
Unfortunately, the cost of pet ownership can prevent families from realizing these wide ranging health benefits. The cost of veterinary care has increased by more than 60 percent in the past decade.[xiv] An orthopedic procedure for a dog that cost $2,000 15 years ago now costs upwards of $10,000. While these increases are partly due to medical and technological advances, nationwide trends like corporate buyouts of individual vet clinics and consolidation of pricing are the real driving force behind the exponential price increases.
Corporate chains dictate price increases multiple times a year, putting already over-stressed clinical teams in the difficult position of trying to find workarounds and offer discounts to families on a case-by-case basis. Further, in many animal hospitals, veterinarians are paid based on how many procedures they complete, creating an incentive to order more tests, perform more surgeries, and prescribe more medications. While pet insurance policies are available, insurers do not negotiate prices on behalf of their policy holders.
From November through January 2024, Gallup and PetSmart Charities spoke with 2,500 pet owners across the U.S. They found that 52% of pet owners reported they had skipped needed veterinary care in the last year due to cost. That includes 37% of owners who visited a vet but declined recommended treatment. Other studies found that number to be closer to 45%.[xv]
One in three people surveyed reported that they did not feel they could afford to own a pet, particularly due to the high cost of veterinary care. More than 60 percent of pet owners report that affording care for their pet is their biggest worry.
We can do better.
That is why we are creating Palmer & Riley – a non-profit animal care and advocacy organization whose mission is to establish a system of compassionate, high-quality, affordable veterinary care across Minnesota and beyond. Our goal is to open a 24/7 emergency and specialty care hospital in 2026. We have the seed money secured for the hospital location and on November 7, 2025, we formally launched a capital fundraising campaign in hopes of raising $2 million to support the build-out and equipment needed for the hospital. Fundamentally, we believe no family should be forced to forego lifesaving medical care for their pet because they cannot afford it.
Stay tuned for our next article where we will discuss our vision for Palmer & Riley in more detail.
***
Palmer & Riley is a non-profit, women-led animal care and advocacy organization committed to providing a compassionate, affordable care experience for pets and “their people.”
ENDNOTES
[i] Anna Brown, Pew Research Center. “About half of U.S. pet owners say their pets are as much a part of their family as a human member.” July 2023; available at
[ii] American Pet Products Association, accessed July 25, 2025 at https://americanpetproducts.org/industry-trends-and-stats
[iii] Harvard Medical School, December 1, 2022; available at https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/the-heartfelt-benefits-of-pet-ownership
[iv] “Cardiovascular Health,” Human Animal Bond Research Institute, accessed July 25, 2025 at https://habri.org/research/healthy-aging/cardiovascular-health/#footnote-8
[v] “Pet-keeping in early life reduces the risk of allergy in a dose-dependent fashion,” PLOS One, December 19, 2018, available at https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0208472 and “Adopting a Pet Could Prevent Babies from Developing Asthma and Allergies,” Asthma Australia, October 1, 2019, available at https://asthma.org.au/about-us/media/adopting-a-pet-to-protect-babies-against-asthma/
[vi] Anna Brown, Pew Research Center. “About half of U.S. pet owners say their pets are as much a part of their family as a human member.” July 2023; available at
[vii] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Leading Causes of Death in the US: 2023,” available at https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/leading-causes-of-death.htm and “Preventing Early Trauma to Improve Adult Health, August 23, 2021, available at https://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/aces/index.html
[viii] “No Bones About it: Dogs are Good for Your Health,” Mayo Clinic Health System, May 24, 2023; available at https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/dogs-are-good-for-your-health
[ix] “The Connection Between Pets and Reduced Stress Levels,” Willows Health Care, February 7, 2025; available at https://www.willowshealthcare.com/blog/the-connection-between-pets-and-reduced-stress-levels
[x] “The Power of Pets: Health Benefits of Animal-Human Interactions,” National Institutes of Health, February 2018; available at https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2018/02/power-pets
[xi] Ibid.
[xii] No Bones About it: Dogs are Good for Your Health,” Mayo Clinic Health System, May 24, 2023; available at https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/dogs-are-good-for-your-health
[xiii] “Mental Health and Aging,” Human Animal Bond Research Institute, accessed July 25, 2025 at https://habri.org/research/healthy-aging/mental-health/
[xiv] “The Cost of Caring for Pets,” New York Times, June 23, 2024, https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/23/briefing/the-costs-of-caring-for-pets.html
[xv] “More Minnesotans are Giving Up Their Pets as Costs Rise,” Minnesota Star Tribune, July 5, 2025, https://www.startribune.com/more-minnesotans-are-giving-up-their-pets-as-costs-rise/601368448
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