Benefits Of Companion Animals

Loneliness is the sadness resulting from being isolated or abandoned. Being lonely is almost always directly connected to relations between people, or the lack there of. Mother Teresa once said “Loneliness and the feeling of being unwanted is the most terrible poverty.” In John Steinbecks classic novel, Of Mice And Men, the three characters, Crooks, Curley’s wife and Candy struggle with loneliness in different forms because of characteristics that they can’t control. All three characters deal with their loneliness by searching for companionship with others on the ranch and this works out differently for each of them.

Having a companion dog, usually either a Golden retriever or Labrador retriever, due to their size and gentle nature, is vastly different from simply having a pet. Service dogs go through extensive training, usually six to eighteen months, before being placed with a child and continue training after being placed in the home. The key is to evaluate the situation as carefully as possible, keeping expectations realistic and conditions flexible. A companion animal is the most rewarding when the whole family is willing to adapt and take on the responsibilities; thus increasing the quality of life substantially.

They give you a feeling of purpose which can be crucial when you are feeling down and overwhelmed. By caring for your pet, it allows you to focus on something other than yourself.

Throughout the entirety of the novella Of Mice and Men, the theme of loneliness can be seen in key points of the story, affecting many of the decisions and actions the characters make. In the book, solitude is the main fear of several individuals, yet, try as they might, none of them can escape what seems to be inevitable. Steinbeck sets out to show us this unavoidable isolation that seeks to pervade the world, through both direct and indirect means. He purposefully names the town Soledad, meaning “solitude” in Spanish, along with having George constantly playing solitaire, which is another play on words. However, he does have more outspoken ways of showing his opinions, simply by creating the characters of George, Lennie, Crooks, Old Candy,

Having an Animal can cause changes in our lives. Sometimes having a pet could help our lives be more simple and enjoyable. Every new experience can make a person change; sometimes the change is positive, and other times it is negative. Either way, there is no avoiding change. Animals are unique , helpful, and delightful.

As I stated earlier, experiencing loneliness at this time is not uncommon. These feelings can come from not having many close friends or someone to share companionship with. However, having many close friends does not suffice for the lack of a companion. The feelings you have for a partner are different than those you may have for a friend. Attending new schools and applying to new jobs forces people to go through, what can be a tough time in a lot of peoples lives. Building relationships constantly that often are not maintained can contribute to a person’s feelings of loneliness.

Theory: Social workers are likely to work with people with companion animals, therefore, the inclusion of animals as an extension of social work with humans seems necessary because of their bond with humans.

Summary: The article “Child’s Best Friend: Kids Prefer Their Pets Over Sibling” by Kacey Deamer, talks about the strong bond between people and pets. Researchers stated that in western households, pets become part of the family. The bond can be so strong that children are more likely to prefer their pet than their siblings. A pet has the ability to become a child best friend to talk and share secrets with. For many people, pet can be very important. They become a special kind of companionship that can benefit you on long-term. They don't talk and don’t understand your secrets but they are loyal and non-judgmental. It provides company and has the ability to stimulate child’s developmental skills. Dogs are the top favorite pet’s for children.

Oftentimes, people confuse loneliness with the state of being alone. When looking at the overall big picture, it is easy to forget that loneliness is temporary. People are not alone because even back in primitive times, they bore a natural instinct to strive for companionship in order to survive. Human imagination creates companions in cases of extreme loneliness which contradicts the state of being alone. Due to societal and family standards, others in society make it practically impossible to be alone. Mankind often goes through life without realizing the overwhelming amount of human contact and support. People are never alone, they are just simply

pets can make you happy when you are sad or be with you in the worst times.

Pet adoption brings myriad health benefits. One of these benefits is the loyal companionship of shelter animals. GAWS shelter’s acting chief executive, Mia Shaw states, “There are big positives for a person’s mental and physical wellbeing in adopting a pet – there are so many benefits to adopting a dog or cat, including companionship and friendship” (qtd. in Sum 19). These animals help human beings physically and mentally by providing another incentive to exercise, and by providing a steady companionship. These benefits could potentially save the lives of depressed people and improve the lives of incapacitated people. Inclusively, shelter animals reduce stress and other health-related issues. Rescue cat owner, Lisa Barley notes, “Not only will you benefit from the joys of a furry friend’s unconditional love, but a pet can have a positive impact on your health, from helping you stay physically active to reducing stress and lowering blood pressure” (48). Adopting a pet is much like obtaining a best friend, who will provide unconditional love and support when the person needs it the most. Furthermore, most of the shelter animals are caged for days or even months, resulting in being restricted from social environments. Consequently, these animals end up being friendlier when they are adopted and placed in a steady home, unlike the ones obtained

“A dog is a man’s best friend” goes much deeper than the phrase might initially imply. Recently many medical journals have begun to identify with the many and varied benefits of pet ownership. Men have always relied upon animals for work, transportation, and survival. As times have changed, man has begun to appreciate a different bond with animals. Gone are the days of animals running free outside around the homestead, for now animals are allowed inside and are considered by many to be an integral part of our daily lives! Medical studies have found that animals have a much greater intelligence level than originally thought. Through proper training and experience, animals are not only household pets, but also are becoming an accepted form

Generally almost all loneliness can be traced back to low or below "average" self-esteem. Chronically lonely people will usually have low opinions of themselves. They may think of themselves as unintelligent, unattractive, broken, unwanted, not worthy of good things, no good, unable to do anything right, and/or socially isolated. Unlike many other emotionally hurting people, the chronically lonely usually know what is wrong, but like many others they don't believe they can do anything to fix it, or, circling back to the low self-esteem, they may also believe they are not worth of happiness.

There have been numerous interpretations of the true state of loneliness, but how is it really defined? Would you think that a person isolated in the corner of the room socially withdrawn from the crowed is lonely or someone surrounded by their group of friends playing and laughing around? The fact of the matter is it could be both individuals, there is no telling what they feel on the inside unless you can figure out the signs and symptoms and analyze their background information in history. Some may not too choose to believe it but someone close to you can be suffering from this condition.

Pets make great companions for kids, helping them in times of emotional turmoil or trouble as well as educating them about nature and non human beings.