Many studies have shown that pets can influence health, although most of the research has been conducted with dogs because they are the most common pet in America. Pets influence physical health in such ways as lowering blood pressure, heart rate and stress; they influence psychological health by decreasing loneliness. Other research has shown that dogs can help people with Alzheimer’s disease who exhibit certain behaviors.
For more information, visit http://www.extension.org/pages/Health_Benefits_of_Pets.
