I didn’t grow up having a pet, nor did I experience a little puppy love. Wait, I did have a pet – a cat named Pepper. We had her for all of a week. I’m not sure if it was the fact that she made my mom sneeze or her pooping in my mom’s bed that got her a quick ticket to another home. Since then I’ve always had a desire to own a four-legged lovable creature.

There is actually a benefit to owning a pet. But, I guess if you own one, you can write this post better than me. Thankfully, those smart researchers discovered some interesting facts:

1. Good for your heart- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institute of Health (NIH) have both conducted heart-related studies on people who have pets. The findings showed that pet owners exhibit decreased blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels — all of which can ultimately minimize their risk for having a heart attack down the road. (source: Animal Planet)
2. Decreases Stress- In a 2002 study at the State University of New York at Buffalo, researchers found that when conducting a stressful task, people experienced less stress when their pets were with them than when a spouse, family member, or close friend was nearby (Source: Woman’s Day)
3. Mood Boosters:  They are known to offer unconditional love, but they may also give their owners a sense of purpose, which can be crucial for those feeling down in the dumps. Pets also combat feelings of loneliness by providing companionship, which can boost your overall mood and even bring you feelings of joy and happiness. (source: Animal Planet)
4. A source of help for diabetics: Dogs4Diabetics train dogs to “to use their highly sensitive scent capabilities to identify the changes in blood chemistry that occur during rapid changes in blood sugar levels.”
5. Chill pill reminder: Cats remind us to slow down and take a nap. Who doesn’t need to do more of that?!? ( KarmacatZendog)

There are tons of reasons why owning a pet can be beneficial to your health. Yet, there are so many pets out there that are looking for someone to return the favor and show them a little love. Celebrate National Pet Day (um, that’s today) by:

1. Heading down to your local shelter and adopting a pet or volunteering. (did you know they have hamster shelters too, yup!)
2. Purchase food or supplies for an ill or financially strapped pet owner.
3. Donate blankets, food, and toys to your favorite animal welfare organization. (source: PetDayUSA)

Oh, and you can hope that my husband will finally surrender to the request from our family to have a little puppy love!!
Do you have a pet? Share your favorite story below.