What are the benefits of companion animals to human health?

Interacting with companion animals (including dogs, cats, rabbits, rodents, horses, fish, birds, reptiles and amphibians) can have a range of physical and mental health benefits for people [1,2]. Animal and human health and welfare are closely linked (concept known as ‘One Health’ and ‘One Welfare’), and animals have been described as promoters, and forecasters of human health [3].

Physical health benefits

The majority of research on the physical health benefits of companion animals have focused on dogs. Dog ownership has been associated with physical health benefits including:

• Greater physical activity – dog owners spend more time outdoors engaging in exercise (e.g. walking) [4] and this activity is associated with better physical health parameters (e.g. lower body mass index) [5].
• Improved cardiovascular health – dog owners have been found to have better cardiovascular health markers (e.g. lower resting heart rate, lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol) and a lower risk of death from cardiovascular problems [6]. However, various studies have found conflicting results and reviewers have cautioned that cardiovascular risk reduction should not be the main reason for pet acquisition [7].

Mental health benefits

Companion animals can be beneficial for people’s mental health by providing motivation, companionship, stress relief and comfort, and helping to maintain healthy routines [8].

Animals can also be used for animal-assisted therapy to help people with mental illness, autism, and developmental disorders [9], performing emotional work (e.g. easing worries), practical work (e.g. symptom distraction), and biographical work (e.g. a sense of identity and self-worth) [10]. Although the benefits of assistance animals to people are widely discussed, the impact of the work on the animals must also be considered. Assistance animals face a unique set of challenges because they experience a number of processes to prepare them for the specialised roles and work they undertake, and because of the demands of their work and frequent changes to their living environment. For more information, see this article.

Social benefits

Companion animals can buffer feelings of loneliness and isolation, facilitate social connections [6], act as social lubricants [7], and offer social support [11]. For example, many people talk to and confide in their animals [13].

Benefits for younger people

Overall, companion animals are beneficial to the emotional, cognitive, behavioural, educational, and social development of children and youth. In young people, the presence of a companion animal can fulfil attachment needs, ease anxiety and loneliness, improve self-esteem, facilitate emotional regulation, help build resilience and foster empathy [15]. The presence of a companion animal has been associated with improved learning outcomes (e.g. literacy, verbal skills) as animals may stimulate curiosity, reduce stress, and provide a source of non-judgemental and unconditional support [16]. Growing up with companion animals has also been associated with a lower incidence of allergies in later life [14].

Benefits for older people

Interacting with companion animals can improve the quality of life of older people, alleviating the symptoms of depression and anxiety, slowing symptoms of dementia, increasing physical fitness, and improving health parameters (e.g. blood pressure) [11]. However, older people are also more vulnerable to some of the risks associated with companion animals such as trip hazards and zoonotic diseases [12].

Public health

Large-scale national surveys have found that people in households which include a companion animal for at least five years, recorded significantly fewer doctor’s visits than people who had never had a companion animal, which may have public health benefits and reduce government expenditure [17].

Important considerations

Although companion animals can help people in many ways, it is important not to overstate the human health benefits of companion animal ownership because this can create unrealistic expectations [18]. Human health is complex and there are many factors which influence it (both positively and negatively). The effects of companion animals on human health parameters can vary depending on a wide range of human (e.g. owners’ demographics, quality of the human-animal bond), animal (e.g. companion animal type), and study design factors (e.g. which health parameter(s) are being investigated, confounding variables such as socio-economic status) [16,19]. While most studies report that companion animals have beneficial effects on human health, some studies have found no undesirable, or mixed associations [20–22]. For example, owners of dogs with Type 2 diabetes were more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes possibly due to shared behaviours and environment [23].

Developing close emotional attachments to animals and the responsibility of fulfilling their needs, can also involve practical, financial, emotional, and physical health challenges [10,18,24,25]. There are also potential accident, allergy, and disease risks to consider. Nevertheless, a 2022 Australia-wide survey conducted by Animal Medicines Australia found that over 85% of companion animal owners reported that their animals had an overall positive impact on their lives [1]. By providing companion animals with care that meets their physical and mental needs, people can also have a positive impact on their animal’s health and welfare and this is an important component of responsible pet ownership.