Pet ownership contributed to their overall health..?

“Stress relievers” that typically come to mind in reference to college life include partying hard, engaging in fraternity shenanigans, and ordering pizza. Add pet ownership to that list. A new study out of Ohio State University found that pets-- not beer-- are help college students to get through difficult times.



Transitioning from home to campus comes with its own set of unique challenges; college students must negotiate entirely new environments, and simultaneously build new networks of friends. Isolation and depression often result. Those students who owned either a cat or dog, or both, reported fewer feelings of isolation, and were, in general, less overwhelmed with the changes that characterize life’s college stage. Those surveyed stated that pet ownership contributed to their overall health. The researchers identified three key benefits of pet ownership for all people: pets provide companionship (thereby staving off loneliness), keep their owners physically active, and provide a measure of stability and simplicity in difficult times.



While extensive studies regarding the positive benefits of pet companionship on the elderly and chronically ill, this study shed new light on the impact of four-legged friends on co-eds. Remember a pet is not a health maintance accessory and needs lots of special care. So if your going to go out and party get a dog sitter to care for your pet while your out...Source: Study : Ohio University