The positive power of pet ownership

At SPCA, rehoming animals is a huge part of what we do. When matching animals with their potential new owners, we take steps to ensure the animal’s new forever home will be the right fit, so that they have the best possible chance at a happy and healthy life.

But it’s not just the animals that benefit from the match-making - there’s plenty of scientific evidence to prove the various benefits of pet ownership, both mental and physical. Read on to find out more about the ways that pets can improve your wellbeing.

• Pets can reduce stress: just patting an animal actually reduces blood pressure, and can help people to relax. Research has also shown that pets can help people cope with the impact of distressing life events.

• Pets provide companionship: having a pet can substantially reduce feelings of loneliness by being a constant source of love and affection. For those who live alone and struggle with feelings of isolation, a pet provides much-needed companionship. Animals also act as a catalyst for human friendships, and increase social connections.

• Pets provide routine and motivation: caring for an animal can provide a sense of purpose, as well as providing structure in day-to-day life. This can be very helpful in managing conditions such as depression and anxiety. Pets love routine and can encourage us to wake, eat, play and exercise at regular times.

• Pets encourage us to be more active: as many pet owners know, dogs love going for walks. This serves as a great motivator for their owners to enjoy the mental and physical benefits of exercise too! With these regular walks, pet owners can improve their fitness and cardiovascular health, as well as de-stress and unwind.

• Pets can improve work productivity: pets can benefit the mental health of others outside the home too. Research has shown that pets in the workplace can reduce stress, increase collaboration and promote productivity too.

When you choose to adopt from SPCA, you’re not just giving a deserving animal a second chance at life. You’ll be gaining a loving companion that can have a lasting positive impact on your own wellbeing.

If you’re interested in viewing the animals that are currently waiting for their forever homes, check out our adoption pages: www.spca.nz/adopt

To learn more about Mental Health Awareness week visit https://mhaw.nz/