(Emma Gritt/ Women’s Health) — Most pet owners will tell you that their furry friend brings limitless joy to their lives – but new research has found that they’ve never been so important for our mental health.
The 2023 PDSA Animal Wellbeing (PAW) Report discovered that 94% of pet owners say that owning a pet makes them happy, with 44% going as far to say that their four-legged friend has been a lifeline during the cost of living crisis.
They surveyed 5,507 dog, cat, and rabbit owners aged over 18 and living across the UK and found that nearly every one of them – 90% – felt having a pet improved their lives.
Breaking it down to pet species, this was most keenly felt by dog (91%) and cat owners (89%).
It seems having a pet at home has been a welcome distraction. A huge 85% of respondents said owning a pet makes them feel less lonely. (…)