By: Sydney Xiong

Though owning a pet may seem to be a burden or an extra responsibility to some families,

owning a pet comes with significant benefits. For instance, pets from a pet-owning family provide support across stages of life. They can cement relationships for couples, act as playmates for young children, and provide companionship through difficult times such as a breakup, loss, depression, etc. Additionally, looking after animals can offer children lessons on caregiving and a sense of responsibility.

In addition to these seemingly manifest benefits, the impact of owning a pet goes further.

Pets can influence a child’s social skills, physical health, and cognitive development while giving them a higher sense of empathy. As for adults, studies show that simply viewing pets in the family can improve one’s mood and wellbeing, and pets may improve one’s health and happiness.

A study of children shows that kids aged five to seven who own a pet are seen to have

fewer peer problems and more prosocial behavior, and research shows that kids ages two to five who live in a family that owns a dog were more active, spend less time online and sleep more on average, compared to those without a pet. This is due to dog-facilitated physical activity, such as family dog walks.

However, this is not to say that having a pet will inevitably benefit the lives and well beings

of families. A study shows that the appearance of animals did not improve the mental health of teenagers during the COVID-19 pandemic. While it is possible that living with a pet may give social benefits, the overall sociability of teens has significantly decreased due to the pandemic being a major stressor.

Time spent with the pet may also be a factor. If a child has a sibling who mostly takes care

of the pet, then it is unlikely that the said child would become attached to the pet. Other factors, such as family dynamics also play a part in the bonds of a child and a pet. The absence of siblings can cause children to especially benefit from pets.