Influence Of Pets On Human Life
From time immemorial, the presence of pets or companions in human life is reflected in countless records. The influence that pets exert on human beings has already filled pages in books, articles and other media.
Origin of the influence of pets
Dating back to the earliest human-pet relationship, the human-dog relationship has been confirmed through archaeological evidence. More specifically, evidence was obtained that the domestication of the dog occurred at the end of the last glacial period.
At that time, humans lived by hunting and gathering and were nomadic, that is, they had no permanent residence. Domestication appears to have been the result of an interaction process between the two species that lasted tens of thousands of years.
The ancestors of dogs established an interaction with humans based on protection and the provision of food and shelter, which resulted in co-evolution and cooperation.
Today, in Western culture, the number of families with at least one dog or cat has increased, as have homes with multiple pets.
Science and human-pet interaction
In the past, science didn’t care about the interaction between humans and their pets.
According to the Darwinian view, a pet in the city does not bring any observable benefits. They require a greater expenditure of money and time because they require food, care and attention, among other things.
Despite this, people continue to adopt or add a pet to their core family, as they are considered members of the family. Science realized the importance of the presence of these animals in human life.
What do people get from their relationships with pets?
It is the answer to this question that has been sought in recent years. Over the past three decades, relationships between people and pets have been studied in detail.
These studies started in different disciplines and scientific fields, such as psychology, anthropology or history.
Anthrozoology is a discipline that has generated great interest in society. This led to the emergence of scientific journals aimed at this new field, as well as the creation of different associations.
One such association is the Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI), focused on the reliable dissemination of scientific studies related to this subject; he collects donations to encourage research.
In addition, US universities have established postgraduate courses related to this subject.
From there, some authors focused on the molecular level and suggested that the hormone oxytocin is a relevant factor to understand this theme. This hormone allows for the establishment of bonds of trust between people, as well as between humans and animals.
Some of these studies have shown that dogs have the ability to look people in the eye. Establishing a reciprocal look is important in relationships to strengthen trust.
As philosopher Martin Buber said, “An animal’s eyes have the power to speak a great language.”
Oxytocin, therefore, intervenes in the establishment of the social bond. However, its role has not yet been fully unveiled, as it is something very complex. Still, all of this led to the creation of a new term, the ‘pet effect’.
Effect of the influence of pets
The pet effect refers to the idea of the positive influence that is exerted on people through living with an animal. Different studies have registered a health benefit, such as increased survival after a heart attack, for example.
It has also been reported that they favor the increase of social relationships, strengthen people’s self-confidence and decrease triglyceride and cortisol levels, as well as blood pressure.
In summary, they allow for several types of positive sensory stimuli that may be related to the release of oxytocin and the strengthening of the human-pet relationship.
At the scientific level, it can be said that the influence exerted by the companionship of a pet includes physiological, therapeutic and psychosocial aspects. It was observed that people with pets do more physical activity, and this reflects positively on their health.
Therefore, the presence of a pet is beneficial for people of all ages. Among the different companion animals that can be found, the dog and the cat are included in this list.
In short, the influence of pets on human lives has both short-term and long-term benefits. Animals are considered family members and fill the house with laughter and happiness, so… put a pet in your life!
