In March 1999 the American Pet Association estimated that there were 43,143,849 people who owned a total of 61,542,900 million dogs and 74,894,580 million cats for a total of 136,437,480 pets in the United States. Just remember that these four-legged critters aren’t just companions–they are ways to keep you healthy.

All sorts of studies have been done that show having a pet can help reduce stress and lower blood pressure and be an overall benefit to your health. But no one has been able to pinpoint exactly why. It could be because people physiologically relax around pets or because people can always count on pets to be non-judgemental and by their side.

Research has been done that shows people who have suffered an illness benefit more if they own a pet. Pet owners who have had a heart attack survive longer than those who do not own a pet. Alzheimer patients have fewer anxious outbursts and their caregivers feel less burdened if there is a pet in the home, especially a cat who requires less care than a dog. Pet owners who have AIDS are less likely to suffer from depression than those who do not own a pet. For people who are strongly attached to their pets, the benefit is especially pronounced. Having a pet is not best for everyone, however. The benefits of having a pet work best with people who like animals and those who aren’t allergic to them.

Research studies show that animals also help reduce anxiety. A 1984 University of Pennsylvania study showed that watching tropical fish in an aquarium was as effecive as hypnosis in relieving anxiety in patients who were going to have dental surgery. Patients were able to focus their attention on something other that the surgery, thus their fear was reduced. A 1986 study by the University of Minnesota suggested that having a gerbil, finch and/or fish in a waiting room of a doctor helped calm children who were anxious about seeing the doctor.

People tend to respond to animals in ways that they never would to people. It is because of this that animals are often used to help reach emotionally distant or alienated people. Bringing dogs and cats to mental institutions, nursing homes, prisons and children’s hospitals has helped bring happiness to people who are depressed, lonely, bored and isolated.

Therapeutic horseback riding, which has been used for centuries, is another kind of animal therapy. It improves coordination, muscle strength and balance, and has provided great benefits to physically and mentally challenged adults and children. The motion and massagelike warmth of the horse’s body helps relax the tight muscles like those in individuals who have multiple sclerosis.

Pets can also make for more social interaction. The British Journal of Psychology showed that people who walked dogs tend to have more social interactions during the course of a day than people without a dog. This is because a person with a dog seems less threatening and easier to approach. And having a dog makes for a safe topic, like what kind of dog it is or how friendly it is.

Pets offer unconditional love and their interest in you can validate your worth as a person. The physical effects pets have on people are rooted in emotional responses. Dog owners visit their doctors less than non-dog owners do. Dogs reduce stress levels and improve their owner’s physical ability to withstand emotional events, such as a death in the family or a major illness. For people without children, pets offer an outlet for nurturing instincts.

There is a bond between humans and animals. They are a part of our lives and we are a part of theirs. Pets play many roles. We talk to them and find comfort in physical contact with them–they truly have a relaxing effect on us.