The Health Benefits of Pet Adoption: Improve Mood & Lower Stress

Bringing a pet into your life isn’t just about companionship - it’s about enhancing your emotional, cognitive, and physical well‑being in ways backed by science.

🌟 1️⃣ Pets boost life satisfaction and reduce stress

Recent research from 2,500 U.K. households found that owning a cat or dog increases life satisfaction by 3 to 4 points on a seven-point scale - comparable to getting married or earning an extra $145,000 per year.

A global survey also revealed 65% of owners prefer destressing with their pet over a partner, and 90% said their pet’s presence is innately calming.

💛 2️⃣ Emotional support: pets reduce anxiety and loneliness

• 84% of pet owners report pets positively impact their mental well-being, and 62% say they feel calmer just being near them.

• Seniors with pets are 36% less likely to feel lonely, and those interactions also ease pain and stress.

• Over 74% linked their pets directly to improved quality of life.

🧘 3️⃣ Better emotional resilience and sense of purpose

Pet ownership often brings daily routines, physical activity, and a caring bond that helps foster emotional balance and purpose - beneficial for mental health, especially during difficult times.

🧠 4️⃣ Slower cognitive decline in older adults

Data from 16,500 Europeans aged 50 to 99 showed that cat and dog owners experienced notably slower cognitive decline, preserving memory and verbal fluency longer versus non-owners.

Other studies suggest pet owners can have brains that appear up to 15 years younger in terms of structure and cognitive health.

🚶5️⃣ Encouraging physical activity

Owning a dog often leads to more daily walking and play. Meta-analyses confirm that pet owners are more physically active than non-pet owners, with benefits for cardiovascular health and overall fitness.

Owners have been shown to reduce all-cause mortality by about 24%, and reduce cardiovascular risk by 31% post heart-attack or stroke.

🌱 Summary: A Pawsitive Prescription for Health

Adopting a pet offers powerful, research-supported benefits:

• Higher life satisfaction and lower stress

• Reduced loneliness and anxiety

• Improved cognitive resilience with age

• More daily movement and better heart health

At Pet Treasures Studio, every piece we create honors this bond - and each sale supports rescue and rehoming, keeping this healing power alive.

💛 We’d love to hear from you!

Has your pet helped you feel happier, calmer, or more active? Share your story in the comments - how has your furry friend made your life healthier and brighter?

✨ Together, we celebrate this love - one story, one piece, one rescue at a time.