May 2023 is National Pet Month

Let's celebrate how our pets enrich our lives and how we can enrich theirs

Here are Some Fun Ways to Celebrate National Pet Month

1. Volunteer at a pet rescue.

2. Adopt or Foster a pet.

3. If you have an active dog, join an agility or flyball group.

4. Bring your dog with you to an outdoor restaurant patio.

5. Join and participate in a meetup.com dog group or visit a local dog park.

 Pets Help our Physical & Emotional Health

1. Pets reduce stress. Simply stroking a dog, cat or bird can lower your heartrate and reduce blood pressure.

2. Pets help us live longer. People with cardiovascular disease who had pets lived longer than those without pets.

3. Dogs increase our socialization. Two dogs that meet can form an instant friendship and so can the pet parents. Having a dog makes people more approachable, establishes common interests and creates trust. Rescue people relate to other rescue people and those with the purebreds love to share relatable stories about their breed.  If your single It is easier to slowly build a relationship with doggie playdates rather than to ask someone out.

4. Pets teach children responsibility and how to look after another living being.

5. Pets combat loneliness.

6. Dogs can improve our health as they need daily walks or runs which has cardiovascular benefits for us. 

7. Studies have proven that pets in the classroom help children learn.

8. Having a pet in the home helps boost an infant’s immune system and in some cases prevent allergies.

9. Alzheimer patients are calmer, have fewer outbursts and may communicate better when dogs are present.

Dogs Protect, Serve and Save Lives

1. Military and Police dogs take down criminals, detect explosives and deter dangerous people.

2. Agriculture & Currency Detection dogs at international airports protect the U.S. food supply and ensure that criminals and terrorists do not bring large currency into our country.

3. Cancer Detection Dogs can diagnose cancer early on so that further diagnosis and treatment can be initiated to help prevent the further spread of the disease.

4. Search and Rescue dogs find people in collapsed buildings, mudslides or downed airplanes.

Dogs Help with Physical and Mental Health Issues

1. Service dogs can detect low or high blood sugars in Diabetics and detect and assist people during a seizure.  Guide dogs assist people with visual Impairments. People with physical limitations rely on service dogs who are trained to do specific tasks like provide balance, hand over a TV remote or pick up something that they have dropped.

2. Dogs provide joy, warmth and attention to lonely seniors in retirement homes and patients in hospitals.

3. Those with Developmental Disabilities or Autism may become calmer, less fearful and communicate better with the presence of a pet.

4. Veterans with PTSD may have fewer nightmares, better coping skills and less depression with a service dog. Veterans with physical injuries gain mobility and independence with a service dog.