

L O V E
I can remember one of the first times I came home from
work after I got my puppy. He ran to greet me at the door
and was so happy. I thought, “Now this is why I got a dog.”
According to Animal Smart, just the act of petting an
animal can increase levels of the stress-reducing hormone
oxytocin and decrease production of the stress hormone
cortisol. Study after study has shown that owning a pet is
good for your health. A 2001 survey from Animal Smart
found that pet-owning patients could keep their high blood
pressure in check during times of stress better than patients
without pets. And yet another study showed that patients
who have suffered a heart attack increase their odds of sur-
viving for at least a year if they own a pet.
It’s that unconditional love that a pet gives you. They
don’t judge you for leaving a pile of laundry on the floor,
and they don’t mind if you ignore the dirty dishes in the
sink. They truly are a man’s – and woman’s – best friend.
Jessica Hecker, the veterinary technician manager at
Advanced Animal Care of Mount
Pleasant, said she has been in the
field for 11 years but still feels there
is so much more she can learn from
animals.
“I am constantly amazed by all
the things I learn from animals,”
she said. “They are capable of
bringing out the best in people,
even in the most dire situations.
They bring out the nurturing side of us and they pass no
judgment. They exhibit the very definition of unconditional
love.”
Pets also do a great job of helping people deal with loneli-
ness. According to Pet Health Network, senior citizens who
own a pet have an enhanced quality of life because their pet
gets them out and increases their feelings of social connect-
edness. While getting a pet solely for the purpose of meet-
ing people may not be a good idea, it is hard to overlook
the fact that animals bring people together and improve
socialization overall.
And who hasn’t heard of therapy dogs? Their entire
purpose in life is to make people feel better. According to a
recent article in
Time
magazine, pet therapy is actually used
alongside conventional medicine. The article pointed out
that there isn’t one major children’s hospital in the country
that doesn’t allow pets on its floors for some kind of pet
therapy program.
Dr. Christa Kahuda of Charleston
Harbor Veterinarians in downtown
Charleston said, “The worldwide One
Health initiative coined the term zoo-
eyia, which refers to the many posi-
tive benefits to human health from
interacting with animals. Pets provide
us with physical touch when we are in
need of comfort, an ear for our prob-
lems and a laugh after a long day.”
By Theresa Stratford
A FAMILY PET
CAN IMPROVE YOUR
W ll-Being
LOVE
No Greater
PETS 6
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