Adopting a pet comes with its fair share of ups and downs as you have to adjust your entire lifestyle according to your furry friends. You might be plagued by feelings of anxiety, guilt, or regret in the initial days, weeks, or even months. Pet regrets or pet adoption remorse is a problem encountered by many pet owners, especially if you are a newbie. But succumbing to those initial jitters and giving up your pet can drop you into the clutches of an unhealthy lifestyle. You need to understand that it is quite natural to feel snowed under. Most challenges you face will resolve over time or by seeking help from your veterinarian.

Caving into your doubts, will not only lead you to say goodbye to your four-legged friend, you might also be letting go of several health benefits that come with being a ‘pawrent’.

To show you the bright-and healthier- side of owning a pet, Health Shots reached out to Sonya Kochhar, a mental health expert and the owner of Canine Elite, which is a new-age pet services company specialising in daycare boarding and training of canines and felines.

Pets help us shape our mental and physical well-being

The mental health expert says that pets play an important role in helping us shape both our mental as well as physical well-being. Being a ‘pawrent’ herself, and having heard the experiences of other pet owners, Kochhar shares, “By adopting a pet, people gain a wonderful companion who’ll be there to cheer them up and add colour in life. Pet owners are more likely to go outside to exercise and socialise.”

Also Read: 6 reasons why getting a pet should be your number one priority

Pets are pro-health

Many studies have shown that people who own pets are likely to have better cardiovascular health. As you’re taking your pets to regular walks, you are ingraining exercise into your daily routine. This ensures your blood vessels are not blocked by triglycerides and cholesterol; your blood pressure doesn’t shoot up. To quote the statistics, your chances of having a heart attack reduces by 40 per cent if you are a pet parent. So, if you find yourself meeting your cardio goals, don’t forget to thank your furry friend!

Research to back role of pets in helping people battle loneliness

In a nationally representative survey conducted by HABRI and Mars Petcare in the US, the role of pets in helping people battle social isolation and loneliness was explored. Of the non-pet owning respondents, 76 per cent agree that human-pet interactions can help address social isolation. Of the pet-owning respondents, 80 per cent say their pets make them feel less lonely.

Benefits a pet can offer your child

As proved by studies, pets are great for kids as well. A research published in JAMA Pediatrics found that children who had a dog in the first year of their life were 13 per cent less likely to develop asthma. Another study by Charnetski, Riggers and Brennan shows that pets can improve your kid’s immunity. Kids also benefit from pets on a psychological level. Even having a small pet like a hamster or a fish, can teach them to be responsible, and have empathy towards others.

After learning about all the ways that pets help us, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that pets are our true and best fur-end.