Benefits of Owning a Pet

If ever there was a person who loved her pets, it is I!  I love my pets–both past and present!!

I have had 4 wonderful dogs in my life and I have had 8 wonderful cats in my life–including the 2 kitties  I have right now! I have loved every one of them with all my heart and I generally do not think dogs are better than cats or cats are better than dogs! I love anything that is feline or canine! I am both a “Cat Lady” and a “Dog Lady”! I guess you could call me a “Pet Person.” In this blog I want to  emphasize the health benefits of owning, caring for and loving a precious little friend in a fur coat!

When my father died, my mother’s  chronic heart condition became much worse and she became a cardiac invalid. Mother, Daddy and I had had a beautiful little white toy poodle named Folly. When Folly died, Mother’s heart took a terrible turn for the worse. Even though Mother was on a bushel of heart medications, her pulse  became highly elevated and irregular. No matter how much her physician tweaked her medicines, her pulse stayed elevated and erratic! Finally it was our veterinarian who solved the problem! When Dr. Sherber heard Mother was having an elevated, irregular pulse, he said, “Mrs. Harder, you need to get another dog! The new dog will help your heart!” Well, we listened to our vet and got a dog who needed us as badly as we needed her! She was a tiny Yorkshire Terrier whom we named “Sweetie Pie.” The moment Sweetie Pie moved in our house, she became Mother’s dog. Sweetie Pie knew her job was to sit by Mother on the den couch and be her constant companion. Within 48 hours, Mother’s pulse became a a consistent 72 beats a minute! Sweetie Pie did what all the fancy prescriptions could not do. Sweetie Pie caused Mother’s heart to improve drastically!

Dogs and cats can also lower their owners’ cholesterol and blood pressure as well! Cats with their wonderful purring vibrations can help people with arthritic hips. If you have pain in your hip, sit next to your cat and the cat’s vibrations will chase away your arthritic pain!

So if you would like to feel better, try adopting a pet from your local animal shelter or rescue organization and start feeling better as well as saving the life of your precious new best friend!

Here’s to your new Best Friend and a happier, healthier life!

Love from the “Pet Person” aka Hope