One thing everyone should have in their lives is a pet. No matter if it is a dog, a cat, a bird, a horse, a hedgehog, a rabbit or any other animal you are willing to love unconditionally, it is a bond you need to have at least once in your life and here is why.
(P.S. You can use this to convince your parents to let you have a pet. You're welcome.)
When I was younger, around 11 years old, my parents got me and my sister a dog. Hannah was the cutest, smallest, most active and adorable golden lab ever. I named myself her mom and told my sister she was going to have to be okay with just being Hannah’s aunt because she definitely liked me better. Even though I don’t know if that is true it doesn’t hurt to pretend that it was. Anyway, Hannah and I went through a lot of things together: we were attacked by a psychotic cat, we slept in her dog house (which was a terrible idea by the way so don’t ever do it), we watch dog movies, we ran in the rain and, you know, all of the other activities that girls do together.
Besides being one of the best partners in crime in the history of duos, Hannah was also my best friend and she loved me everyday no matter what kind of day I was having. She even picked my sister and up from the bus stop after school. Seriously, the best dog ever. So, in short, dogs and any other pets in general are always happy to hang out with you and they will always, always give you love which, let's be honest people, is all we ever want.
But besides all the lovey-dovey stuff, pets are also great for your health (thank you Animal Planet for enlightening me about this). Having pets has been proven to have health benefits for people. These benefits include physical, mental and emotional improvements. In particular, it can help enhance your social skills and decrease the risk of having a heart attack.
University of Wisconsin-Madison pediatrician James E. Gern has conducted various studies that prove that having a pet in the house lowers a child’s likelihood of developing animal-related allergies. His research shows that children that are exposed to animals early on tend to develop stronger immune systems overall. So come on, you basically have to get a pet now. Especially if allergies and health are something that worry you.
Another benefit of having pets is that they can help you become more social. Pets are not afraid to get up and personal with strangers and that just gives you an excuse to meet someone new. So potentially, through your pet, you could meet a new friend, learn something new or finally be able to schedule play dates for your pet or yourself-- you never know. And, if you are like me, one of the first things you ask someone is if they have a pet, because having a pet scores major points on the "cool friend" list. Not to worry though, I won't use you only to hangout with your pet!
Worried about getting some exercise on while having to take care of your pet? Do not worry any longer! Most animals need constant physical activity to maintain a healthy life so it's a win-win situation because you both just got an exercise buddy. Most dogs, for example, need to be walked multiple times a day; a perfect opportunity to get your sweat count going. The National Institute of Heath conducted a study with 2,000 adults and the results showed that the dog owners who walked their dogs are less likely to be obese than the dog owners who pass the walking responsibility to someone else, or just don’t walk their dogs at all.
Pets not only help you fight off those extra pounds you might be trying to get rid of, but they also help you fight against sadness and loneliness. By offering their unconditional love and support, your little pal can bring you feelings of joy and happiness and essentially boost your mood. It's no surprise that they have animal-assisted programs and pet-facilitated therapy for the sick and elderly, because what better way to brighten your day than a furry, or non-furry (I don’t judge), animal giving you love without even knowing you?
So take the time now to think and reflect about your reason for not having a pet. Now question if it is still a good enough reason not to open your house, your arms and your heart to someone who will never stop loving you. If the reason is your parents, like in my case, keep insisting because you can get that kitten, puppy or hedgehog that you've always wanted. I know that I am not giving up until I get a puppy, even if that means that I have to wait until I have a house of my own.
