Editing Pet (section)

==Effects of pets on their caregivers' health==
[[File:Petite Panoply- Riker jumping up (20722525760).jpg|thumb|A couple with their pet dog]]
[[File:Jogging with dog at Carcavelos Beach.jpg|thumb|Woman jogging with a dog at [[Carcavelos]] beach, Portugal]]

=== Health benefits ===
It is widely believed among the public, and among many scientists, that pets probably bring mental and physical health benefits to their owners;<ref name=philly>{{cite news|title=Pets are a kid's best friend, right? Maybe not, study says|url=http://www.philly.com/philly/health/kids-families/pets-kids-best-friend-maybe-not-rand-corporation-20170811.html|access-date=27 December 2017|work=[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]]}}</ref> a 1987 NIH statement cautiously argued that existing data was "suggestive" of a significant benefit.<ref name="The Health Benefits of Pets"/> A recent dissent comes from a 2017 [[RAND]] study, which found that at least in the case of children, having a pet ''per se'' failed to improve physical or mental health by a statistically significant amount; instead, the study found children who were already prone to being healthy were more likely to get pets in the first place.<ref name=philly/><ref>{{cite news|title=Pets Are Good For Us—But Not in the Ways We Think They Are|url=https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/11/pets-animals-john-bradshaw/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171125090655/https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/11/pets-animals-john-bradshaw/|url-status=dead|archive-date=25 November 2017|access-date=27 December 2017|work=[[National Geographic]]|date=25 November 2017}}</ref><ref name=rand>{{cite web|title=Largest-Ever Study of Pets and Kids' Health Finds No Link; Findings Dispute Widely Held Beliefs About Positive Effects of Pet Ownership|url=https://www.rand.org/news/press/2017/08/07.html|publisher=[[RAND]]|access-date=27 December 2017|language=en}}</ref> Conducting long-term randomized trials to settle the issue would be costly or infeasible.<ref name="The Health Benefits of Pets"/><ref name=rand/>

==== Observed correlations ====
Pets might have the ability to stimulate their caregivers, in particular the elderly, giving people someone to take care of, someone to exercise with, and someone to help them heal from a physically or psychologically troubled past.<ref name="The Health Benefits of Pets">{{cite web | url=http://consensus.nih.gov/1987/1987HealthBenefitsPetsta003html.htm | title=The Health Benefits of Pets | publisher=US Government National Institute of Health | access-date=25 December 2006 | archive-date=5 May 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120505222221/http://consensus.nih.gov/1987/1987HealthBenefitsPetsta003html.htm}}</ref><ref name="Reiman">{{cite web|last=Reiman|first=Steve|title=Therapy Dogs in the Long-Term Health Care Environment|url=http://www.therapydogs.org/documents/Therapy%20Dogs%20in%20the%20Long.pdf|access-date=27 April 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120506101914/http://www.therapydogs.org/documents/Therapy%20Dogs%20in%20the%20Long.pdf|archive-date=6 May 2012}}</ref><ref name="Whiteley1986">{{cite news|last=Whiteley|first=Ellen H.|title=The Healing Power of Pets|work=The Saturday Evening Post|volume=258|issue=7|year=1986|pages=2–102|access-date=5 November 2006|url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=afh&AN=12592944&site=ehost-live}} Academic Search Elite. EBSCOhost. Polk Library, UW Oshkosh</ref> Animal company can also help people to preserve acceptable levels of happiness despite the presence of mood symptoms like anxiety or depression.<ref name=BosPrSWB>{{cite journal |author1=Bos, E.H.|author2=Snippe, E.|author3=de Jonge, P.|author4=Jeronimus, B.F.| year = 2016 | title = Preserving Subjective Wellbeing in the Face of Psychopathology: Buffering Effects of Personal Strengths and Resources | journal = PLOS ONE| volume = 11| issue = 3| pages = e0150867| doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0150867 | pmid=26963923|pmc=4786317|bibcode=2016PLoSO..1150867B|doi-access=free}}</ref> Having a pet may also help people achieve health goals, such as lowered blood pressure, or mental goals, such as decreased stress.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Asp|first=Karen|title=Volunteer Pets|journal=Prevention|volume=57|issue=4|year=2005|pages=176–78|access-date=5 November 2006|url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=afh&AN=16471647&site=ehost-live}} Academic Search Elite. EBSCOhost. Polk Library, UW Oshkosh</ref><ref>{{Cite journal | pmid = 11641292 | date = 1 October 2001 | last1 = Allen | first1 = Karen | last2  = Shykoff | first2 = Barbara E. | last3 = Izzo | first3 = Joseph L. Jr | title = Pet ownership, but not ace inhibitor therapy, blunts home blood pressure responses to mental stress | volume = 38 | issue = 4 | pages = 815–20 | issn = 0194-911X | journal = Hypertension | doi = 10.1161/hyp.38.4.815 | doi-access = free }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal | pmid = 11758798 |date=October 2001|author1=Kingwell, Ba |author2=Lomdahl, A |author3=Anderson, Wp | title = Presence of a pet dog and human cardiovascular responses to mild mental stress | volume = 11 | issue = 5 | pages = 313–7 | issn = 0959-9851 | journal = Clinical Autonomic Research | doi = 10.1007/BF02332977 |s2cid=40206732}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal | pmid = 3655768 |date=October 1987| author = Wilson, Cc | title = Physiological responses of college students to a pet | volume = 175 | issue = 10 | pages = 606–12 | issn = 0022-3018 | journal = The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease | doi = 10.1097/00005053-198710000-00005 |s2cid=2188860}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal | pmc = 1762431 | doi = 10.1371/journal.pone.0000109 | title = To Have or Not To Have a Pet for Better Health? | year = 2006 | author = Koivusilta, Leena K. | journal = PLOS ONE| volume = 1 | pages = e109 | pmid = 17205113 | last2 = Ojanlatva | first2 = A | last3 = Baune | first3 = Bernhard | editor1-last = Baune | editor1-first = Bernhard | issue = 1 | bibcode = 2006PLoSO...1..109K | doi-access = free }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal | pmid = 3236382 |date=October 1988|author1=Vormbrock, Jk |author2=Grossberg, Jm | title = Cardiovascular effects of human–pet dog interactions | volume = 11 | issue = 5 | pages = 509–17 | issn = 0160-7715 | journal = Journal of Behavioral Medicine | doi = 10.1007/BF00844843 |s2cid=25544682}}</ref> There is evidence that having a pet can help a person lead a longer, healthier life. In a 1986 study of 92 people hospitalized for coronary ailments, within a year, 11 of the 29 patients without pets had died, compared to only 3 of the 52 patients who had pets.<ref name="Whiteley1986"/> Having pet(s) was shown to significantly reduce triglycerides, and thus heart disease risk, in the elderly.<ref>Dembicki, D and Anderson, J. 1996. Journal of Nutrition in Gerontology and Geriatrics. Volume 15 Issue 3, pages 15–31.</ref> A study by the National Institute of Health found that people who owned dogs were less likely to die as a result of a heart attack than those who did not own one.<ref>{{cite web|last=Jodee|title=Want to Reduce Risk of Heart Disease? Get a Pet|url=http://www.heartmart.com/blog/heart-health/1599/want-to-reduce-risk-of-heart-disease-get-a-pet|access-date=27 April 2012|date=8 July 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130327185450/http://www.heartmart.com/blog/heart-health/1599/want-to-reduce-risk-of-heart-disease-get-a-pet|archive-date=27 March 2013}}</ref> There is some evidence that pets may have a therapeutic effect in dementia cases.<ref>Friedmann E, Galik E, Thomas SA, Hall PS, Chung SY, McCune S. Evaluation of a Pet-Assisted Living Intervention for improving functional status in assisted living residents with mild to moderate cognitive impairment. American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias.2015:30(3):276-289</ref> Other studies have shown that for the elderly, good health may be a requirement for having a pet, and not a result.<ref>
{{cite journal|last1=Parslow|first1=Ruth|last2=Jorm|first2=Anthony|last3=Christensen|first3=Helen|last4=Rodgers|first4=Bryan|last5=Jacomb|first5=Patricia|date=Jan–Feb 2005|title=Pet Ownership and Health in Older Adults|url=http://content.karger.com/ProdukteDB/produkte.asp?Aktion=ShowAbstract&ArtikelNr=81433&Ausgabe=230503&ProduktNr=224091|journal=Gerontology|series=40|volume=51|issue=1|pages=40–47|doi=10.1159/000081433|pmid=15591755|s2cid=21851049|url-access=subscription}}
</ref> Dogs trained to be [[guide dog]]s can help people with vision impairment. Dogs trained in the field of [[Animal-Assisted Therapy]] (AAT) can also benefit people with other disabilities.<ref name="The Health Benefits of Pets"/><ref>{{cite web|last=Farlex|title=The Free Dictionary By Farlex|url=http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Pet+Therapy|access-date=27 April 2012}}</ref>

===Pets in long-term care institutions===
People residing in a long-term care facility, such as a hospice or nursing home, may experience health benefits from pets. Pets help them to cope with the emotional issues related to their illness. They also offer physical contact with another living creature, something that is often missing in an elder's life.<ref name="shea-online.org"/><ref>{{cite web|last=Reinman|first=Steve|title=Therapy Dogs in the Long-Term Health Care Environment|url=http://www.therapydogs.org/documents/Therapy%20Dogs%20in%20the%20Long.pdf|access-date=27 April 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120506101914/http://www.therapydogs.org/documents/Therapy%20Dogs%20in%20the%20Long.pdf|archive-date=6 May 2012}}</ref> Pets for nursing homes are chosen based on the size of the pet, the amount of care that the breed needs, and the population and size of the care institution.<ref name="Whiteley1986"/> Appropriate pets go through a screening process and, if it is a dog, additional training programs to become a [[therapy dog]].<ref>{{cite journal|last=Huculak|first=Chad|title=Super Furry Animals|journal=Edmonton|date=4 October 2006|page=W7}}. LexisNexis. Polk Library, UW Oshkosh. 5 November 2006.</ref> There are three types of therapy dogs: facility therapy dogs, animal-assisted therapy dogs, and therapeutic visitation dogs. The most common therapy dogs are therapeutic visitation dogs. These dogs are household pets whose handlers take time to visit hospitals, nursing homes, detention facilities, and rehabilitation facilities.<ref name="Reiman"/> Different pets require varying amounts of attention and care; for example, cats may have lower maintenance requirements than dogs.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Bruck|first=Laura|title=Today's Ancillaries, Part 2: Art, music and pet therapy|journal=Nursing Homes: Long-Term Care Management|volume=45|issue=7|year=1996|page=36|access-date=5 November 2006|url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=afh&AN=9608232012&site=ehost-live}} Academic Search Elite. 	EBSCOhost. Polk Library, UW Oshkosh.</ref>

===Connection with community===
In addition to offering health benefits to their owners, pets also influence their owners' social lives and connections within their communities. Research suggests that pets may facilitate social interactions, fostering communication and engagement among individuals.<ref>Wood L, Martin K, Christian H, Nathan A, Lauritsen C, Houghton S, Kawachi I, McCune S. The pet factor – Companion animals as a conduit for getting to know people, friendship formation, and social support. PLoS One. 2015:10(4):e0122085</ref> Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of Colorado at Boulder, Leslie Irvine has focused her attention on pets of the homeless population. Her studies of [[pet ownership among the homeless]] found that many modify their life activities for fear of losing their pets. Pet ownership prompts them to act responsibly, with many making a deliberate choice not to drink or use drugs, and to avoid contact with substance abusers or those involved in any criminal activity for fear of being separated from their pet. Additionally, many refuse to house in shelters if their pet is not allowed to stay with them.<ref>{{Cite book|title = My Dog Always Eats First: Homeless People and Their Animals|last = Irvine|first = Leslie|publisher = Lynne Rienner Publishers, Inc.|year = 2013|location = Boulder, CO}}</ref>

===Health risks===
Health risks that are associated with pets include:
* Aggravation of [[allergy|allergies]] and [[asthma]] caused by [[dander]] and [[fur]] or [[feather]]s
* [[Falling (accident)|Falling injuries]]. Tripping over pets, especially dogs, causes more than 86,000 falls serious enough to prompt a trip to the emergency room each year in the United States.<ref>{{cite news
|title= In the Home, a Four-Legged Tripwire
|url= https://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/28/health/28pets.html?ref=health
|newspaper= [[The New York Times]]
|date=27 March 2009 }}</ref> Among elderly and disabled people, these falls have resulted in life-threatening injuries and broken bones.
* Injury, mauling, and sometimes death caused by pet bites and attacks
* Disease or parasites due to animal hygiene problems, lack of appropriate treatment, and undisciplined behavior (feces and urine)
* Stress caused by the behavior of animals
* Anxiety over who will care for the animal should the owner no longer be able to do so