Happiness comes on 4 paws!
Do dogs, cats and co. really help us to our happiness?
IT IS NOT ONLY AMONG PET OWNERS THAT THERE IS A BELIEF THAT ANIMALS HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON OUR LIVES IN THE LONG RUN ...
But do dogs, cats and co. really contribute to our personal happiness? The fact that this question is not easy to answer is illustrated by various studies in recent years.
HIGH EFFORT FOR GREAT HAPPINESS?
The happiness between a person and an animal depends, first of all, on the financial and time circumstances of the owner. This is shown by the research results of psychologists from the Ruhr University Bochum. In their online survey, they asked 631 pet owners what advantages and disadvantages arise from owning a skin animal. According to the respondents, it is important to find the right balance between costs and the role of the animal in everyday life.
If the financial burden is too high, the dissatisfaction of the pet owner also increases. The same applies to the bond with the animal: if the animal takes over the life of the owner too much, the social structures suffer above all. Time for family and friends is neglected.
Professor Dr. Maike Luhmann, who was significantly involved in the research, compares: "In some respects, pets can be compared with children. They can be a source of pure joy and make you feel needed and loved. But at the same time, dealing with them can sometimes be exhausting and – depending on the phase of life – can be a financial burden.“
FURRY SOUL HEALERS
If the owner succeeds in keeping the balance, animals in return can help to strengthen social contacts, become more active and thereby find their own personal happiness. What's more, study results by researcher Dr. Erika Friedmann show that pets can even save their owners from cardiovascular diseases.
In her research, she examined patients who had suffered a severe heart attack. If those affected who did not own a dog recovered only with difficulty from the consequences, dog owners got back on their feet faster. According to Friedmann, the reason for this is the extraordinary fact that a dog contributes to the improvement of the cardiopulmonary vessels in life.
In addition to health improvements in the biology of humans, dogs also strengthen the social contacts of their owner. Constant walking promotes the exchange with like-minded people and, in the best case, contributes to making new friendships. A real remedy for loneliness.
