Why do animals provide us with well-being, happiness and good health?
Whether we have had animals or not, the simple fact of having been close to them at any moment of our lives will have instilled in us a sense of gratification and of good mood. This is not by coincidence, as it has a scientific explanation.
It was the American biologist Edward O. Wilson who worked out the theory of biophilia in which he suggests that humans have an innate affinity with all living beings and nature. Moreover, there are specific physiological parameters which point to benefits of contact between animals and humans.
Contact with a dog which we have established an affective relationship with, releases oxytocin, a pleasure related hormone. At the same time, the levels of cortisol in blood, physiological indicator of stress diminish, while the levels of endorphins, a peptide which functions as a neurotransmitter and which is responsible for feelings of well-being, increase. Beyond such visible benefits, the heart rate also goes down, leading to lower blood pressure (Odeendaal, 2000).
Contact with an animal also seems to have beneficial effects on both the physical and mental health of people. For example, having a pet animal is associated with lower blood pressure, as well as with increased physical activity and a more robust immune system (Anderson et al, 1992; Nimer and Lundahl, 2007).
A study among 92 outpatients of a cardiology unit, found that those with a pet animal showed a statistically higher survival rate than the rest (Friedmann, 1980).
Apart from the direct social support an individual receives, having a pet near also positively influences the perception other people have of this person, thereby facilitating social relations. Having a pet animal can be used to generate empathy with living beings in general and with humans in particular.
But apart from the benefits resulting from mere contact, taking care of an animal or even training it, this innate affinity humans and animals feel for each other can be used for therapeutic ends. For example, in people who experience difficulty with communicating, motivation, attention and concentration, people with low self-esteem, those who need to have their sense of responsibility stimulated and those with any other behavioural problem, including mental illness (Fine, 2010).
