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Benefits Of Man 's Best Friend Essay

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Benefits of Man’s Best Friend Interactions between humans and animals have existed since prehistoric times. Humans depended on animals for “food, clothing, and transportation”, and “animals were the focus of religious worship” in many ancient cultures (The PEDIGREE®, 1). In more recent years, the number of animals kept for companionship and pleasure has massively increased (The PEDIGREE®, 1). In present day society pets, dogs in particular, play an essential role in the health and structure of many families. Pets are not only able to provide companionship, there is also evidence of the positive effects they provide on human health and psychological mentality. Companion animals play an important role in their owner’s lives, by being able to positively influence a human’s physical health. Simply “stroking or petting an animal has repeatedly been shown to cause transient decreases in blood pressure and/or heart rate” (Wells 524). Interactions with a familiar animal have a greater benefit, because they “appear to serve a greater therapeutic benefit than those with an unfamiliar animal” (Wells 524). Petting an animal can also positively benefit the health of the animal itself, because it helps create a lower heart rate for the animal (Wells 524). These effects may only be short term, but they are beneficial. It has also been reported that “pet owners have been discovered to visit the doctor significantly less than individuals who do not own a companion animal” (Wells 526).

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