Pets Are Good for You

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Over the past year, the Human Animal Bond Research Initiative Foundation’s online hub, HABRI Central, has collected extensive research and data that shows seven areas of strong scientific research evidence of positive impacts animals have on human health.

The areas include: allergy and asthma immunity among children, Alzheimer’s, autism, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

“Research exploring the human-animal bond is still a relatively new area of study, and we are pleased with the compilation and strong amount of research that has been conducted on these health issues thus far,” Bob Vetere, president of the Human Animal Bond Research Initiative Foundation, said. “We look forward to continuing the momentum and our commitment to supporting research in multiple fields, to help solidify that pets provide people with dozens of health benefits and much more than just love and companionship.”

Among key findings in these seven fields, the new research shows that contact with companion animals can have physical benefits to those with PTSD, including the release of oxytocin and endorphins in the brain; pets can have a protective effect for young children from allergies later in life and patients recovering from heart surgery have a better rate of survival if they own a pet.

Housing research on these health issues and more, HABRI Central serves as an online comprehensive bibliography and repository of scholarly material and a platform for peer-reviewed content for those involved in human-animal bond studies. Managed by Purdue University, this centralized research and resources are available at www.habricentral.org.

Founded by the American Pet Products Association, Petco Animal Supplies Inc., and Zoetis, HABRI is a broad coalition of companies, organizations, entities and individuals whose mission is to achieve formal, widespread scientific recognition that validates and supports the positive roles of pets and animals in the integrated health of families.