Time For A Pet-A-Cure

Health Benefits that Pets Provide

Welcome, dear reader! Once again I will attempt to distract your attention away from the “white noise” of such current topics as solar flares, global warming, politics and hate crimes to something that can melt even the coldest heart — pets!

That’s right, friends! This month’s topic is “Natural Pet Health.” If you have read my previous articles, then it will not surprise you that I lean toward a variation on a theme, and this one will be no different. Instead of giving you tips on grooming or how to keep your pet healthy (I will leave that to our experts!), I want to share the many ways God’s amazing animals keep us happier and healthier.

Need for Puppy Channel

You would be hard pressed to find a single person in America unfamiliar with football, let alone The Super Bowl. Friends and family gather around the big screen for food, fun and fellowship.

Not to be outdone, Animal Planet took a gamble and launched “The Puppy Bowl,” a mock football game comprised of adorable canine “athletes” playing with a toy football tugging, rolling and peeing on a field in a “puppy” stadium. It became a smash hit!

Each year they “up the ante” and this season, kittens took to the field at halftime. They even had potbelly pigs as cheerleaders! People lit up Facebook and Tweeted with abandon as the announcer asked the question, “America, who do you think should be this years MVP (Most Valuable Puppy)?”

In a world of uncertainty, these precious creatures offer a well needed escape. With all of our technology, nothing goes “viral” quicker on YouTube than a talking dog or a “clairvoyant” cat! Around the globe, people are obsessed with animals… and for good reason! Their unconditional love and faithfulness produce health benefits for humans that are nothing short of miraculous.

Furry Friends Can Aid Your Health

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, 57% of American households own at least one pet. Compared to non-pet owners, the 57% of pet owners enjoy far better health and well-being.

Karen Allen, PhD, a researcher from the University of Buffalo, conducted a controlled study of 48 stockbrokers who were all taking hypertension medication. Half (24) were given their choice of a dog or cat to take home and care for. After a couple of weeks with the pets, blood pressure and heart rates were administered to all of the participants. Those with a pet had lower heart rates and drops in their blood pressure, but the participants without pets showed no change. Once those without pets saw the results, many went out and got a pet!

A recent article from Healthstatus.com listed the following health benefits pet owners enjoy:

• Reduced stress and blood pressure
• Pets provide unconditional love and are always happy to greet you when you arrive home
• Criminals hate dogs – a dog is good personal security when you are out walking and good security for your home when you are away
• Walking a dog will help keep you fit and active
• Boosts your self-worth because they are depending on you for their care
• Need a date?  Walking a dog breaks all kinds of social communication barriers

Try the local dog park because there is no telling who you may meet…maybe your future spouse

• Dogs can help clean your house.  Drop a little popcorn on the floor and you don’t have to worry about it because your dog will clean it up in no time.
• Studies have shown that heart attack patients who have pets survive longer than those without
• An Australian and German study found that people who own pets have fewer doctor visits (Australian Social Monitor 2002; 4: 93 – 99)
• Pets prevent you from being lonely because they are great to talk to even though they don’t talk back
• Alzheimer’s patients have fewer anxious outbursts if there is a pet in the house

Pet Therapy for Learning Disabilities

Pets also have an amazing effect on children with autism or learning difficulties. Studies show that children with autism are usually better able to interact with friendly pets than people. Like pets, autistic children sometimes depend on nonverbal cues to communicate. So, connecting with a dog or cat may become a bridge that helps an autistic child connect with people.

Pets help children with learning disabilities manage stress and become less frustrated with their condition. Children sense the innocent nature of their pets and are not threatened by them. Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) was one of the first in the nation to implement a pet therapy program. In the 1990’s, CHOC was one of only 50 hospitals in the nation to bring in Caring K9s as a therapy program sponsored by the Animal Health Foundation. The Caring K9s and their owners aid children in oncology, medical and surgical wards as well as physical, occupational and speech therapy departments.

Since the mid nineties, the unconditional love of these furry little volunteers has raised the spirits of countless children, providing them with a much-needed escape from their treatment routines. Today, you can find therapy dogs in retirement homes, hospice care centers, doctor offices and wellness centers.

Pets to the Rescue

There is a lot we can learn from our pets: faithfulness, sacrifice, devotion, unconditional love and heroism.

Heroism? Yes!

I challenge you to Google “true stories of hero pets.” You will be amazed and deeply moved by the real life stories:

• People being pulled out of burning buildings
• Persons rescued after falling through the ice
• A family being saved from a gas leak
• An elderly woman saved from venomous snake
• Sleepwalking girl saved in -16F degrees weather

Who performed all of these heroic actions? The faithful family dog, that’s who!!

Firedogs, police K9 officers, bomb sniffing dogs and seeing eye dogs risk their lives every day to save others. If more of us shouldered this selfless resolve, the world would be a better place indeed.

Remembering Rescue Dogs

I will never forget 9/11. All of those images are permanently engraved in my mind:  buildings reduced to rubble, people walking aimlessly, covered in dust, their tears turning to mud while frantically searching for loved ones. I was so numb by the horror that I couldn’t cry for three days. Then on day three, as I watched a man pinning angels on strangers while handing them a picture of his missing wife, I fell apart!

Suddenly, as my tears began to flow, I felt a weight pressing in on me. You guessed it! It was my dog Selah! This wonderful dog sensed my pain and acted accordingly, resting her head on my leg, licking my tears and applying just enough of her weight against me as if she was saying, “I am here and I love you!” When I looked back at the television screen, I was amazed to see a dog licking the face of an exhausted survivor! So many dogs were brought in to help at ground zero and some of them died trying.

Improve Your Health With Any Pet

I know I have highlighted dogs thus far and there is a good explanation… there are so many great unconditional love stories about them!

Please, no hate mail! I am an equal opportunity pet lover!

Cats, guinea pigs, mice, ferrets and rabbits obviously make excellent house pets and offer health benefits galore.

In fact, you would be surprised to know that snakes, lizards, turtles and goldfish are also great additions (sorry, Mom) – not just dogs or cats!

Much higher in the “maintenance” column, yet far worth the investment is the horse. Horses are amazing creatures that require a full time commitment and give their owners a lifetime of faithfulness and friendship.

Why Birds Make Good Pets

Now, I will close with a topic that is for the birds… literally!

Have you ever heard the expression, “Free as a bird?” Wings – what a marvelous upgrade birds are graced with one of the most amazing abilities of all, flight. Birds do naturally what man and machine can only emulate. They can sing beautifully without a lesson and talk without vocal cords! In fact, these winged wonders “talk” by blowing air over the top of their bifurcated trachea much like we get sound from blowing over the top of a pop bottle.

Though many feel it cruel to cage an animal with wings, birds offer amazing health benefits and live long lives in captivity. Lets talk about a few of the benefits of owning a bird.

• Most species of birds are extremely intelligent and will mimic your behavior (good or bad!)
• Birds are easy to care for and require minimal grooming (great for the elderly or handicapped)
• Birds are extremely social and they quickly bond with their owners
• Birds are inexpensive to feed
• They take up little space in your dwelling
• You can take them anywhere most hotels do not consider them pets
• They are beautiful to look at
• They thrive in captivity — some species live over 100 years!
• Many species “sing”

There are few things in nature as peaceful as the song of a bird.

One California mayor believed this so strongly that he installed loud speakers in his town to pipe in recorded birdsongs 24/7! Many skeptics lampooned Rex Parris, mayor of Lancaster, California, as a “birdbrain.” Today, many of those skeptics are changing their tune. Since the bird songs began transmitting in Lancaster, crime rates have fallen dramatically.

According to the Los Angeles County Sherriff’s Department, minor crimes have dropped 15% and major crimes by 6%. Mayor Parris’ gamble is restoring peace to Lancaster, California by the oldest therapy on earth, the song of a bird!

Top 3 Things to Consider About Pets

So this month, I am leaving you with some homework! Please take the time to answer the following questions.

• How has your pet improved your life?

• What Godly characteristics can you identify in your pet?

• What is your all-time favorite T.V. pet? (Here are a few examples, Lassie, Flipper, Mr. Ed, Arnold Ziffel from Green Acres and Rin Tin Tin.)

Today, Americans are willing to pay anything to live longer. Let me offer some advice. The facts speak for themselves! If you want to be happier and healthier, then you need a pet rescue!

Gods little wonders are still the best life extension therapy on earth! Remember, a little “mewsic” can smooth out your “ruff” day and never let your Karma run over your Dogma.

‘Tweet Dreams!