If you need a reason to get another pet, (as I am sure you already have at least one), this blog will support your decision and prove you need another one!

Pets are heart healthy! Simply petting a dog or cat can lower your blood pressure. “Holding a pet triggers a relaxation response, “explains Alan Beck, ScD, director of the Center for the Human-Animal Bond, at Purdue University. “It helps you stay focused on the present, as opposed to dwelling on the past or worrying about the future.” And just being with your pets can give you a chemical boost by releasing the feel-good brain chemicals serotonin and dopamine. Pet owners also tend to have lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels, according to a study published in the Medical Journal of Australia.

Pets boost immunity! Petting an animal can up your levels of immunoglobulin A, an antibody that fights off the common cold, according to a study at Wilkes University. It’s likely a result of that “man’s best friend” thing, says James Serpell, PhD, director of the Center for the Interaction of Animals and Society at UPENN. “We know that social support – or a lack of it – directly affects the body’s immune system and impacts our resistance to infection and disease.” A companion who acts as its Christmas morning every time you walk through the door? Now, that’s a support system!

Pets teach our kids to be nicer people! Boys and girls who live with pets are more empathetic and social than kids who don’t, according to a Croatian study.

You’ll breathe easier! Pets cause some people to sneeze, to be sure. But people who grow up with a pet are less likely to have allergies and asthma later on, Swedish researches say. Other studies have similar findings. Early exposure to allergens – dirt, pollen, and pet dander – helps to create a stronger immune system.

You will be more physically fit! Having a dog means you have no excuse not to walk, and we know if you miss one day, your pet will let you know it! Dog owners tend to be in better shape than people who don’t have a dog to walk.

They keep you safe! People worry less about being attacked when they have canine companion, say researchers from the University of Cambridge. And, bigger isn’t necessarily better. With their super sensitive sense of sound and smell, even a small dog or cat can tell you when something isn’t right.

Pets help you feel less alone! Fifty percent of adults and 70 percent of kids confide in their pet, according to research. Having a pet also helps children deal better with the death of a parent, says a study from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

You will meet new friends! Any kind of pet is a natural conversation starter. That may means simply getting to know your neighbors better. But for Melyssa Peters, it was life changing. At her local dog park, she started talking to Rob about dogs. “Our relationship began with long walks around the neighborhood. Three years later, we were married!”

I’m sure there a at least a million more reasons whey pets are good for our health. But, the above 8 are reasons enough to add another one to your household!