If you scroll through any social media feed today, you probably saw at least a few posts encouraging you to adopt an unwanted animal, often a cat or dog. These pleas are often presented as a good thing to do for the sake of the animal itself, but there are many benefits as well to adopting one. If you’re on the fence, consider that there are a number of ways a pet can improve your quality of life.
Responsibility
More responsibility may not seem like the greatest selling point, but this can actually be one of the biggest positives about animal ownership. In a time when many people may feel disconnected from their jobs and their communities, a pet can provide a sense of structure and meaning. They can give you a reason to get up in the morning. If you’ve ever wondered whether you really mattered to anyone, you won’t ask yourself that any longer when you see how excited your dog is when you get home each day, and contrary to the popular view of cats as aloof and unfriendly, they can also be loving and demonstrably affectionate.
Many different types of animals will interact with you in ways that show that they recognize and appreciate you. Animals can also be a great way to teach your children to be more responsible. Putting them in charge of making sure that your dog gets his exercise or that your cat gets its wet food each night can be invaluable in teaching them to be responsible toward others. Of course, it’s important to give them age-appropriate tasks and supervise their efforts, but a child’s bond with an animal can be an important part of their childhood.
A big part of the responsibility in pet owning is being able to cover medical costs. This can keep some people from moving forward with getting an animal, but there are ways to help cover those costs. Many vets are making sure that everyone can get the best care possible for their pets by offering payment plans. These can allow pet owners to spread costs up to $35,000 for as long as 60 months. You can check with your vet to see if they offer any of these plans, which often have 0% APR options.
Physical Exercise
This applies mostly to dogs, but there are certainly those who take their cats out for walks, either on a leash or in a special stroller. If you struggle being able to get physical activity yourself, dogs can be the cure for that. Most need to be walked and played with regularly. It’s a great way to get exercise without thinking of it as exercising if you are one of those people who dreads the concept. You might even come to enjoy long walks as much as your dog does.
There’s an additional bonus, which is that dog owners often find themselves meeting other dog owners as they hang out in parks. Even if you don’t think of yourself as particularly extroverted, it can be nice to have a nodding acquaintance with other neighbors or park goers. If you are someone who’s eager to meet new people, getting out into the world with a dog is one of the best ways to do that. They make excellent conversation starters.
Sense of Connection
Fish have been known to recognize when their owners are approaching the tank and swim upwards for food. From birds to reptiles to bunnies, cats, dogs and more, all kinds of pets can foster a sense of connection between you or your children and another living being. The relationship with your animal is special and different from any other kind that you have, where a true unconditional love can thrive between the two of you.
If you want to get an unusual pet, do make sure that it’s legal where you live. Wild animals, for example, are usually not supposed to be kept as pets. However, there’s still a wide variety of animal life available, so if you’re allergic to fur or not sure you can take on the commitment required, probably best to keep looking.
Emotional Benefits
Do you ever feel lonely? Having a pet can help with that. In fact, if you have a particularly gregarious or affectionate one, there may be times when you wish for a little more alone time. Furry, scaled or feathered friends can help keep you calm when you’re stressed out, and they are surprisingly good listeners.
If you’re looking for a pet with a particular type of personality, you can choose an adult. Their personality traits tend to be set, and if they’ve been in a fostering situation, their current guardians can help you figure out if they’re right for you. Pets can be great for helping children develop greater compassion and more patience.