Everyone has heard the saying “dogs are man’s best friend.” While I believe this is true, I feel that this quote should really be extended out to all pets: “pets are man’s best friend.” People who aren’t pet owners may not understand this whatsoever, but if you are a pet owner of any animal, you know what I’m talking about. When you own a pet, you get so much more than just an animal wandering around your house.

1. You get the best secret-keeper.

It’s so hard to trust anybody nowadays. You know who you can trust though? Your pet who is always around and ready to listen to anything and everything you need to rant about. (And who couldn’t spill your secret to anyone even if they wanted to.)

2. You get a cuddle buddy.

Whether you’re sick, sleepy or just feeling a little lazy, your pet is always around and down for a nice cuddle sesh.

3. You become healthier, both mentally and physically.

According to Dana Casciotti, PhD and Diana Zuckerman, PhD, animals can actually improve heart heath by lowering your blood pressure and decreasing your chance of heart disease. Being a pet owner can also decrease stress. In addition, pets can even help children develop greater empathy, higher self-esteem, and increased participation in social and physical activities.

4. You learn about responsibilities.

When you have a pet, you now have responsibilities outside of yourself. You need to feed them, clean them, clean up after them, take them to the vet and many other things depending on the animal.

5. You learn about loyalty.

Sometimes, when you fight with people, it can be a little awkward for a good period of time afterwards. Other times, you just drift apart from people and are no longer friends. However, no matter how many times you mess up or how many times you may yell at them when you get angry, pets love you unconditionally and always make you feel better.

So if you’ve never been a pet owner before but you’re thinking about it, just remember all of these benefits you get from being a pet owner (in addition to all of the adorableness and fun, of course). And if you are or have been a pet owner before, consider yourself lucky to have had the opportunity to receive all of these benefits from your pet, because as we all know, pets are man’s best friend.