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Velma's Pets As Therapy, PO Box 324, Killara, NSW 2071, Australia.
The Benefit Of Pets, Research, Statistics and General Information On Pets As Therapy
"If a new medication were reported to have the same benefits that pets provide it would be hailed as a medical miracle."
"Our mission is to enrich the lives of people and pets by bringing them together."
The information on this page was compiled over a period of time. We therefore, respectfully ask for a donation of twenty dollars (Australian) to our program.
Please make out cheques and Post Office Money Orders to "Velma's Pets As Therapy". If you are not living in Australia, please send an International Post Office Money Order for twenty Australian dollars. Thank you.
THIS PAGE INCLUDES:-
The Power Of Pets
Pets As Companions
Pets As Family Members
Pets As Helpers
The Social Value Of Pets
The Health Benefit Of Pets
The Dr Kibble Report
"Our mission is to enrich the lives of people and pets by bringing them together."
THE POWER OF PETS STATISTICS
If a new medication were reported to have the same benefits that pets provide it would be hailed as a medical miracle.
Over 66% of Australian households have a pet. This is the highest ownership of pets per household in the world.
Pets serve us in many ways - as helpers as companions and for therapy.
Humans have always enjoyed a close and rewarding relationship with other members of the animal kingdom.
Companion animals have worked with us in agriculture, engendered caring and responsibility in our children, acted as social facilitators, protected our property and gifted us with lifelong loyalty.
Some 12 million Australians are associated with pets. More than 83% of Australians have had a pet at some time in their lives. Of the people who do not own pets at present 53% would like to have a pet in the future.
Australians are typically responsible and caring pet owners, caring about the effect their pets may have on the health wellbeing and safety of their neighbours.
Reported inconvenience caused to neighbours by pets is low.
The pet care industry, already one of the largest in Australia, contributing around .2 billion to the economy and employing over 30,000 people, is still growing.
Pet owners:-
·visit the doctors less often and use less medication
·on average have lower cholesterol and lower blood pressure
·recover more quickly from illness and surgery
·deal better with stress
·are less likely to say they are lonely.
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RECENT RESEARCH AND STUDY HAS SHOWN THERE ARE MANY BENEFITS TO BE GAINED, BY THE REGULAR INTERACTION WITH PETS:-
·Medication costs dropped from an average of .80 per patient per day to just $1.18 per patient per day in new nursing home facilities in New York, Missouri and Texas that have animals and plants as an integral part of the environment. (Montague, 1995)
·Pets decrease feelings of loneliness and isolation (Kidd, 1994)
·Seniors who own dogs go to the doctor less than those who do not
·Dogs are preventive and therapeutic measures against everyday stress (Allen, 1991)
·Pet owners have lower blood pressure. (Friedman, 1983, Anderson 1992)
·Pet owners have lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels than non-owners. (Anderson, 1992)
·Pet owners have better psychological well-being (Serpel, 1990)
·Pet owners have a higher one year survival rate following coronary heart disease (Friedman, 1980)
·Pet owners have better physical health due to exercise with their pets. (Serpel, 1990)
·Having a pet may decrease heart attack mortality by 3%. This translates into 30,000 lives saved annually (Friedman, 1980)
·70% of families surveyed reported an increase in family happiness and fun subsequent to pet acquisition. (Cain, 1985)
·The presence of a dog during a physical examination decreases stress. (Nadgengast, 1997, Baun, 1998)
·In a study of 100 Medicare patients, even the most highly stressed dog owners in the study, had 21 percent fewer physician's contacts than non-dog owners. (Siegel, 1990).
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THE BENEFITS OF PETS
People have always had a strong urge to nurture animals. Modern society continues this commitment to the care of pets. In a climate of constant change and fundamental shifting of values, Australians are placing increasing importance on the role of pets in their lives.
PETS AS COMPANIONS
The reliable and unconditional companionship offered by pets can be most rewarding. Human-pet relationships do not require the same effort as human ones, yet the rewards are love, gratitude, fun and companionship. The soothing stroking of an animal provides comfort and relief from the demands of human relationships.
Modern lifestyles can create loneliness, isolation and a sense of vulnerability. Companion animals help to counter these problems. Pet owners are less likely to report feeling lonely than non-pet owners and 58% of owners say they met and made friends through having pets.
Studies have shown there is a marked increase in social contact if disabled people have an animal with them. Pets act to break down the barriers.
PETS AS FAMILY MEMBERS
Pets have become far more than just companions. Increasingly, Australians talk about the need to 'get back to basics', to simplify their lives and regain some 'traditional values'. Pets are strongly associated with these goals.
91% of pet owners report feeling 'very close' to their pets, almost as many as report feeling close to their families!
"They give you so much joy, the household wouldn't be the same without them."
Companion animals can positively influence child development. Studies have revealed greatly improved social competence and self-esteem in children with pets compared to those without. Following from this, children with pets are less likely to criminally offend in later life. Children can learn about responsibility, gentle handling, animal behaviour and death by living with a pet. Parents may use pets to assist in teaching their children. "It's good for the kids to learn to care for something other than themselves in these times when they have so much."
PETS AS HELPERS
Pets serve us in many ways - not only for companionship but also for work and as therapy.
They have proved invaluable in a number of roles. Examples are: guide dogs for the blind, 'hearing' and assistance dogs for the disabled, and 'sniffer' dogs used by police and customs. Sheep and cattle dogs help with stockwork. Horses help with riding for the disabled programs. Cats provide vermin control. Companion animals assist with therapy in hospitals, prisons, psychiatric institutions, nursing homes and schools.
"My mother's in a nursing home and there's a dog there - the patients love it. People have this affinity with animals - the problem is everyone feeds it and it has to go to the health farm now and then."
"Pensioners and old people like them for company - if you see them without pets you wonder what they do for company."
Quotes from the study What Australians Feel About Their Pets'
INCREASING SOCIAL VALUE OF PETS
Australian life is rapidly changing. There have been major shifts in values, opinions, relationships, technology, multiculturalism, politics and economic security. These changes may induce a sense of insecurity, feelings of loss of control and confidence plus increasing isolation and stress.
Dealing with stress has become a major factor in the lives of many Australians. Pets offer a therapeutic and non-threatening strategy to reduce stress.
Pet owners, in general, have higher levels of self-esteem than non-pet owners do.
Children brought up with pets show better social skills and empathy with others than children with no pets. Pets can act as 'security blankets', unquestioning confidantes and valuable companions.
These aspects are increasingly important as family unit size shrinks.
HEALTH BENEFITS
The interaction between people and pets is increasingly becoming a subject of scientific research.
Anecdotes that pets are good for us are now supported by scientific evidence of the health benefits attributable to animal companionship.
Two recent Australian studies have shown quantifiable links between pets and health benefits.
LOWER RISK FACTOR OF HEART ATTACK
In a study at the Baker Medical Research Institute, pet owners were found to have cholesterol levels 2% lower than those without pets. This can lower the risk of a heart attack by 4%.
LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE
Pet owners also had lower levels of triglyceride fats in their blood and lower blood pressure.
Owning a pet can reduce blood pressure as efficiently as eating a low salt diet or cutting down on alcohol. In fact, when communicating with a dog, human blood pressure often falls to resting levels or below.
LESS VISITS TO THE DOCTOR
Another Australian study, 'The National People and Pets Survey', found that pet owners visit the doctor less often and take less medication than non-pet owners. Pet owners report greater satisfaction with their physical fitness and are less likely to report feeling lonely.
Many studies have shown that people who are isolated and depressed are more likely to succumb to illness than those who claim to be content.
Other studies have shown that companion animals encourage healthier lifestyles, with more exercise and quiet, stress-free times.
It has also been shown that dogs can anticipate and warn of acute episodes in their owners, such as epileptic seizures and diabetic comas. Considering the significant benefits, why doesn't everyone own a pet? Well, as shown, most Australians do! Imagine the potential problems and costs for society if this were not the case.
GETTING IT RIGHT
It is a common misconception that dwelling type is important in successful pet ownership. Some people wrongly believe that dogs can only live happily in houses with large yards. Pets, in fact, can be successfully integrated into highly urbanised areas. Environmental enrichment providing interest for an animal is more important than space.
Exercise and interaction with an owner is more beneficial (for both) than loneliness in a large backyard.
As housing density increases, so too does the need to pay attention to the choice of species and breed, the environment and design features. Training of both pets and those who regularly interact with them is crucial to ensure that pets are an acceptable part of a harmonious community.
In acknowledgment of the benefits of pets to society, urban and regional planners should accommodate the needs of companion animals and their owners. These owners equally must appreciate what is required of them to integrate socially acceptable companion animals into their communities. Studies have shown that typically they do this.
With busy schedules, long working hours and more single-person households, many people believe they do not spend enough time at home to care for an animal satisfactorily.
It must be appreciated, however, that being at home with a pet is not in itself enough stimulation, attention, environmental enrichment and keeping more than one animal can provide acceptable levels of stimulation and companionship for pets.
References
BIS Shrapnel (1995) In Contribution of the Pet Care Industry to the Australian Economy
Edney A and Bailey G (1994) In Dog Behaviour and Veterinary Practice, edited by Scott L, MUFCVE, Murdoch University, Western Australia
Harlock Jackson P/L, Goad Fink and Holmes R (1993) Pets in Urban Areas, prepared for Petcare Information and Advisory Service, Victoria
MacCallum M and Beaumont M (1992) What Australians Feel About Their Pets, conducted for Petcare Information and Advisory Service, Victoria
McHarg M, Baldock C, Headey B and Robinson A (1995) National People and Pets Survey for the Urban Animal Management Coalition, Sydney
Vines G, 1993 Secret Power of Pets in New Scientist, No. 1894
This information was compiled from the Internet.
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A Report to
Dr Robert Kibble
Chairman
Urban Animal Management Coalition
From
Mr Malcolm McHarg
Dr Chris Baldock
Associate Professor Bruce Headey
Mr Alec Robinson
January 1995
Contributors To The National People And Pets Survey
Dogs hold a very special place in the hearts of millions of Australians.
Dogs and owners can do so much together - go for walks, play games or simply share a quiet snooze in the sun. Research has also shown that owning a pet can have measurable health benefits.
Overseas research has shown that adults and children are more relaxed in the presence of a friendly dog and that pet owners suffer less minor health problems such as headaches, backaches, colds and flue, insomnia and general tiredness than non-pet owners do.
Medical research in Australia has found that pet owners have a lower risk of heart attack, having lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure and lower triglyceride fats in their blood than non pet owners.
PEOPLE AND PETS
Pets are good for your health. Owners, typically, are responsible and caring.
The highlights of this nationwide PEOPLE & PETS SURVEY
Households with pet membership are still the norm.
Sixty (60) % of today's 6.2 million Oz households have a pet. Of these:
·68% care for one or more dogs
·45% care for one or more cats
·25% own birds.
Fifty-three (53) % of those who do not at present own a pet would, in the future, like one.
Most want a dog. The mitigating factors are mainly:
·Living in accommodation not suited to a pet, eg,
.Rental accommodation with no provision for pets
.No yard for the pet's mental stimulation, play and leisure;
·The absence of someone at home to care for the pet.
The total number of companion animals in Australia has remained fairly stable over the last five years. Looking to the near future, however, dogs may become even more significant as the preferred pet species.
Those who care for a dog have better health
To own and care for a pet, particularly a dog, is to enjoy better physical and mental health. This is true for all sections of the population.
Dog owners, compared to non-pet owners, are more physically active and report greater satisfaction with their physical fitness. They visit the doctor less often. Fewer take medication for high blood pressure, sleeping difficulties, high cholesterol or a heart problem.
They also experience social benefits, dog carers are less likely to report feeling lonely.
The degree of person-pet bonding is significant. For the single person closely bonded with their dog, the benefits are even more marked.
Owners, typically, are responsible & caring
The great majority of pet owners are responsible and considerate carers. They treat their dog or cat with affection and as a member of the family. They care for its well-being, health and safety.
PETS AS A SOCIAL PHENOMENON revealed a widely held belief that responsible pet ownership is a good thing. A significant proportion of society perceived pet ownership to be of real and lasting value to the individual, the family unit and therefore the community.
Dogs and cats were found to be a normal part of life in Australia. As companion animals, the dog or cat enhances well-being and security, and protects the pet carer against a sense of isolation or a lack of intimacy in close personal relations.
Companionship was the most valued attribute of a dog or cat. Seventeen out of 20 dog owners, and four out of five cat owners, gave 'companionship' as the main function of their pet. For dog owners, secondary functions were 'protection' (one out of three) and 'productive work' (one out of 20). Only 6% of dog owners gave 'protection' as the major function of the pet.
Overall, 84% of pet owners exercised the types of controls needed to ensure that their pets were not a problem to others.
Patterns of pet ownership
All Australian communities have a stake or interest in the future of pet ownership. Nearly every Australian household either has a pet, has had a pet, or intends to have a pet.
Four out of five current pet owners had a pet five years ago.
The main reasons for not having a wanted pet, at this time, are lack of:
*Suitable accommodation,
*Time at home and therefore time spent with the
*Only one out of 20 does not have a pet because they do not like pets!
WHO OWNS PETS?
Who owns pets? Or, in the case of cats, who is owned by the pet?
About 60% of the 6.2 million households in Australia have one or more pets. Typically, the major carer of the pet is female, married with children, living in the suburbs and most likely employed.
The size of the yard associated with the dwelling is important in determining pet ownership. Larger yards are most conducive to having a pet. Conversely, 'no yard' pre-empts scope for a companion animal such as a dog or cat.
Fourteen (14) % of pets have been owned for less than one year.
Eighty-one (81) % of owners and 48% of non-owners had pets five years ago.
Eighty-nine (89) % of present pet owners, and 83% of non-pet owners, had pets in the family during their childhoodDOGS AS COMPANION ANIMALS
The larger the household, the greater the likelihood of having a dog
Features of dogs as companion animals include the following:
Nearly four out of five (77%) were acquired as puppies
About half are pedigreed
The male:female sex ratio is 50:50
61% are desexed (lower in very low income families)
Nearly four out of five (77%) belong to the toy-medium size range (if the age of the carer is in the range middle to old age, then there is less likelihood of the dog being large)
Most (88%) are said to be obey basic commands such as
"sit", "stay" and "come"
About half are aged less than 5 years
About four out of five pet dogs are described as "energetic"
More families than unpartnered individuals own dogs.
About one in three dog owners also have a cat.
Popular breeds
German Shepherd 11
Kelpie 8
Cattle dog 7
Chihuahua 6
Border Collie 4
Corgi 4
Labrador 4
Cocker Spaniel 3
Jack Russell 3
Company
Only one in five dogs is without the company of family members or other animals for more
than 20 hours a week:
Problems
Destructive behaviour when the dog is left alone does occur but is not common.
Exercise
Three out of four of the principal carers, in the capital cities, personally exercise or walk the dog. The most common places for exercise and walking are local streets (54%), and parks or other public places (58% excluding beaches and the banks of rivers or creeks). Sixty (60) % always keep their dog on a lead when exercising it in public places.The ratio of women to
Men exercising the dog is about 2:1.
The frequency of exercise, by the principal carer, is as follows:
When the dog is exercised many times a day, then it is more likely to be under the supervision of a man. In this case, the men to women ratio among carers is 1.6:1.
Predominantly public places-especially streets and parks-have the highest ranking as preferred places for exercise and walking:
CARE & PLAY
PETS AS A SOCIAL PHENOMENON showed that pet carers readily find the time required for grooming and other attention. Ninety-six (96) % of dog and cat owners in this 1994 survey spend some time petting, playing with or grooming their pet:
Health Benefits
Pets, especially dogs, are good for your fitness, health & mental health
This PEOPLE & PETS SURVEY confirms the health benefits of pet ownership.
Previous research by Dr Warwick Anderson, of the Baker Institute in Melbourne, led the way. Dr Anderson, in a health screening survey, showed that pet owners had lower blood pressure and were less at risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Our nationwide sample of Australian households reveals that those who own pets, especially dogs, have BETTER PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH than non-owners. Pet owners go to the doctor less often. Fewer of them take medication for high blood pressure, sleeping difficulties, high cholesterol or a heart problem.
One reason for these health advantages is that pet owners, in particular dog owners, are more physically active than the rest of the population. They take more recreational walks and/or play with the dog. They report greater satisfaction with their physical fitness.
These health benefits from dogs as companion animals are reported by all sections of the community regardless of age, sex, income, educational background or occupational status.
Social benefits also ie, personal support from pets
Given that pet owners value the friendly and sometimes intimate companionship of their dog or cat, it is not surprising to find that those who have pets are LESS LIKELY TO REPORT FEELING LONELY compared to non-pet owners.
Fifty-eight (58) % of pet owners say they got to know people and made friends through having pets.
In a similar vein, 62% of pet owners say that having a pet around when people visit makes it easier "to get into conversation and create a friendly atmosphere".
Seventy-nine (79) % of owners find it comforting to be with their pet "when things go wrong".
And 91% feel "very close" to their pet-almost as many as feel very close to their family. This reinforces that pets are integral members of the family however constituted.
Special benefits for non-partnered people
The non-partnered persons in our society comprise singles, those who are separated or divorced, widows and widowers.
Non-partnered individuals may have less effective social networks than the partnered. Does a companion animal, by complementing or substituting for elements of the human network, contribute to the health and well-being of the non-partnered person?
The PEOPLE & PETS SURVEY revealed SPECIAL BENEFITS FOR DOG OWNERS WHO ARE NON-PARTNERED over and above those they share generally with people who are dog owners.
A 'closeness-to-pet' attribute-eg, "I feel close to the dog", "I find the dog comforting when things go wrong", "I make better social contacts through having a dog"-is associated with:
Fewer doctor visits, and
Less likelihood of taking medication for high blood pressure, sleeping difficulties, high cholesterol or a heart problem.
THEREFORE, FOR NON-PARTNERED PERSONS, IT IS NOT ONLY GOOD TO HAVE A DOG, IT IS EVEN BETTER WHEN THEY FEEL CLOSELY-BONDED WITH THEIR DOG. Again, this characteristic is independent of attributes such as age, sex and income.
PETS AS A SOCIAL PHENOMENON covered all of these issues.
Findings from the 1994 survey on aspects of inconvenience are summarised below.
Walking, exercise and play are a physical requirement and mental stimulation for the dog. Dogs that get insufficient exercise can become difficult to manage.
Dog & Cat Trends
Dog ownership is static or might be increasing slightly. Cat ownership is declining but not because of the wildlife issue.
REPLACEMENT INTENTIONS
Dog owners
Of those people presently owning a dog, 76% intend to replace it when it dies. And of those intending to replace, 25% want to change to a different species of pet-cat 38%, bird 24%, fish 11%.
For those who do not intend to replace their present dog, the main reasons are "I expect to be too upset" or "I do not want the responsibility".
More dogs fewer cats?
Comparing current population estimates with 1991 figures, and taking the future ownership intentions of both pet and non-pet owners into account, it would appear that the overall domestic dog population in Oz over the next few years, relative to the human population, will either remain static or grow slightly.
Healthy, Orderly and Safe Neighbourhood Lifestyles
Pets are an everyday aspect and a positive feature of Australian urban lifestyles.
Most households (60%) have a pet. Most of those who do not have a pet would like one in the future (53%).
Dogs are the preferred species of companion animal (68% of pet owners, 80% non-pet owners). Dog owners enjoy better physical and mental health and are less likely to report feeling lonely.
Pet owners, typically, are responsible and caring. To say that many tend to 'love' their pet almost as much as they love their family is only a slight exaggeration. They care for the well-being , health and safety of their pet.
Typically, pet owners also care for the effect of their pet on the well-being, health and safety of the neighbourhood. Inconvenience to neighbours, due to the presence of pets, is low.
The contributions of dogs and cats to healthier, orderly and safe living need to be acknowledged by reporters and policy makers alike.
Regulators must guard against inconveniencing, or worse disadvantaging, the responsible majority of pet owners in searching for solutions to the behaviours of a non-compliant minority.
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