The Health Benefits of Having a Pet

My friend, and your fellow blog-reader, Rachel lost her beloved cat Pretzels yesterday. While I can't make the loss of a loved one any better, I thought I would do this blog post in honor of Pretzels; a blog post about the many benefits of having a pet and the way in which those pets enrich our lives.
R.I.P. Pretzels

Honestly, I think there is something wrong with a person if they don't like animals. It's weird! I mean...I understand if you hate sharks because you were attacked by Jabberjaw and are now scarred for life (heh literally), but what's wrong with an adorable kitten? Nothing! That's what!

I always smile when I see a homeless person with a pet. Why? Because they have so little and yet they're willing to sacrifice their time, limited resources, and convenience to help an animal. Unfortunately though, many people aren't willing to make the necessary sacrifices in order to have a pet, for whatever reason. Well, that's there loss because not only is it just plain awesome to have a pet, but they also do so much for us:
Studies have shown that having a pet...

1. ...decreases your blood pressure
2. ...decreases your triglyceride levels
3. ...decreases your risk for heart attack and stroke
4. ...decreases your cholesterol levels
5. ...decreases feelings of loneliness
6. ...increases your opportunities for exercise and outdoor activities
7. ...increases your opportunities for socialization (and no they don't mean socialization with your dog Rambo)
8. ...increase empathy in children
9. ...decrease hyperactivity and increase attention in children

I have AD/HD (actual AD/HD...not just "hey doc, I can't pay attention! Can I have Adderall now?) and I know that having pets growing up helped me so much! When I was a kid and my brain just quit working in the evening when I was trying to do my homework, my cats would help me. I would literally ask them a math question like: "What's 932 divided by 49?" and I'd wait a second and then say "oh duh! 19.02040816326536! Thanks Choop!" Weird but effective. Granted, I knew that it was actually me doing the math but for whatever reason it helped. And then there was KJ the dog, who was my best, and only, friend for years, until his death a few years ago...in fact, he made such a difference in my life, I wrote an essay about him that made both my dad and my English teacher cry...(I'm contemplating posting it...let me know what y'all think--to post or not to post?)

Obviously pets make such a difference in the lives of their owners, which is why it's truly a tragedy whenever a pet goes up to Kitty or Doggy Heaven. There is a saying that: "Pets leave footprints on our hearts," and I couldn't agree more with this. When you've had a pet, especially since childhood, they help to make you who you are, and become forever intertwined in their owner's life.

So remember Rachel, even though Pretzels is gone, he changed your life for the better and will always remain a part of you, both in your heart and in your memories.

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-RRR