Sad? Stressed? Anxious? Consider a Pet.

Around the PAL offices, we try really hard to maintain a positive, enthusiastic workplace but, and we think everyone can agree, sometimes life gets hard. Whether it’s personal or public, temporary or permanent, sad or infuriating, certain situations have a way of affecting our mental well being, and it can feel overwhelming and lonely. Suffice to say, it’s no secret that the world could use a little more happiness, love, and compassion… and you know what effortlessly offers those three things regularly? Do we even have to say it?

PETS!

April 11 is National Pet Day and, with what seems like a constant stream of the bad news out there, we felt compelled to share just how beneficial bringing an animal into your life can be. Here are four common feelings that pets can definitely help with.

• Just being around an animal is proven to lower blood pressure, which is a physical measure of stress. Not only can petting an animal be meditative and mind-clearing, it also reduces stress hormones like cortisol and ups the happy hormones, like oxytocin.
• We don’t need scientific proof to know that our pets can tell when we’re sad and have even tried to silently comfort us with a nuzzle or a cuddle. Not to mention you can totally ugly cry in front of them and there’s nothing to be embarrassed about.
• Most of us go through feelings of loneliness, even those who are constantly surrounded by people. There’s something about the quiet company of a pet that yields a feeling of comfort without the pressure of conversation or the need to be social. We know we’d much rather come home to four legs and a tail than an empty house.
• It’s proven that pets decrease our reactions to stressful situations. They also have the ability to slow down our minds and encourage us to focus and be present, which can be difficult when you’re worrying about, well, everything.

It doesn’t matter if it’s a dog, cat, horse, rabbit, alpaca, or goat – having a pet makes you happier, period. If you’ve been considering bringing an animal into your life, be sure to do your research in finding one that fits your lifestyle and expectations of a pet and take the plunge on April 11!

Facebook Call-to-Action: Tell us how your pal’s made you happier since you’ve had them.