Pet

"Goldmeier (1986) aimed to discover whether animals could fill the gap created by absent humans. One hundred and four-four elderly participants, living alone, living with others, living alone with pets or living with others and pets, were assessed. The groups were demographically similar and results showed that pets did not make a difference to morale amongst those who lived with others but that they improved the morale of those living alone."

"A small pet animal is often an excellent companion for the sick, for long chronic cases especially. A pet bird in a cage is sometimes the only pleasure of an invalid confined for years to the same room."

"Sometimes losing a pet is more painful than losing a human because in the case of the pet, you were not pretending to love it. We are responsible for the wellbeing of our pets, so it is hard not to feel some sort of guilt when they pass."

"Compared with non-pet owners, pet owners take more moderate and vigorous physical activity. [In addition some pet enclosures such as aquariums or chicken coops may need specific lighting, water features, plants, rocks, or soils, that] may help promote owners to establish connections with nature, thereby increasing the immunity of owners."