| often stated that dogs are a man's best friend. | | | | physical fitness, but some of the most dramatic |
| However, that also rings true for many pet animals, | | | | health benefits for the owner are psychological. |
| including cats, fish, birds, and exotic animals. Just as all | | | | Therapeutic institutions provide animals for some of |
| of these pets offer companionship to their owners, | | | | their patients to raise as part of the recovery |
| beloved animals also provide a significant amount of | | | | process. Patients are given responsibility to care for |
| health benefits to their owners. | | | | another living thing. Studies have shown that pets |
| The most common pets in the United States are | | | | help patients recovered from troubled pasts, and live |
| cats, dogs, and fish. Birds, and small animals such as | | | | healthier, longer lives. Another specific use of pets |
| hamsters and mice, are a distance third and fourth. | | | | being beneficial to their owner is their use as guide |
| Some pets that were formerly considered exotic, | | | | dogs for the visually impaired. |
| especially reptiles, are growing in popularity. Although | | | | Even though there are many valuable health benefits |
| dogs are found in more households than any other | | | | given to people who foster animals, owning a pet |
| pets, more fish are domesticated than any other | | | | provides many difficult challenges. Many animals leave |
| animal. Although most households only have a single | | | | behind dander that may severely worsen allergies. |
| cat or dog, most fish "guardians" own more than a | | | | The behavior and upkeep of pet animals may also |
| dozen. | | | | provide a large amount of stress to their owners. In |
| Some exotic pets such as reptiles and birds don't | | | | some cases, animals injure their owners or other |
| seem all that unusual. However, there are a number | | | | people nearby sometimes even fatally. After all, |
| of pets that you wouldn't expect to see as family | | | | animals aren't meant to be domesticated; their natural |
| friendly household pets. Animals must be bred and | | | | home will always be in the wild. |
| trained, sometimes for many generations, before | | | | Because pets are living things, with their own |
| becoming suited to human interaction and earning the | | | | personality and interests, there are a wide variety of |
| distinction of "pet." | | | | laws set to protect both the pet and the owner. A |
| Uncommon pets that have grown in popularity include | | | | large number of states have law in place that limits |
| chickens, tame silver foxes, hedgehogs, monkeys, | | | | the quantity of pets in a home, and regulates which |
| raccoons, piranhas, and even cheetahs. The list could | | | | types of animals are allowed. Many apartment and |
| continue, although some of the most unusual "pets" | | | | condominium complexes don't allow their residents to |
| are actually domesticated illegally. | | | | raise pets, which is difficult for pet owners, but |
| Regardless of what animal is selected by its owner, | | | | ultimately helps to ensure that pets are raised in a |
| both receive benefits of the symbiotic relationship. | | | | more suitable environment. |
| Medium-sized pets, especially dogs, are great | | | | Although pets aren't for everybody, they have a |
| workout partners for a walk or run around the part. | | | | considerable list of benefits, physically and emotionally. |
| Fostering at least one pet has consistently been | | | | Adopting pets is a great opportunity to provide a |
| shown to provide such physical benefits as lowered | | | | quality place to live for an animal in need of love and |
| blood pressure. | | | | attention. |
| Some of the health benefits are directly related to | | | | |