Impact of Companion Animals on Mental Health and Emotional Well-being of Pet Owners: A Survey-based Study

Aim: With the rise in mental health challenges, the role of pets in enhancing public health has become crucial.Considering the international findings regarding the beneficial impacts of companion animals on the mental health and emotional well-being of pet owners, a study was undertaken within the Indian context. Materials and methods:This study employed a quantitative, cross-sectional survey technique.A structured online survey concerning emotional attachment, social interaction, and psychological support provided by companion animals was conducted with 132 pet owners.The respondents were categorized into young-, middle-, and older-age groups.The data were subjected to statistical analysis using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software, employing a two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the honestly significant difference (HSD)-Tukey test.Results: All age groups of pet owners exhibited emotional attachment to their companion animals.Companion animals offer a range of positive effects, such as enhanced self-reported mental health, improved sleep patterns, a heightened sense of purpose, increased joy, diminished feelings of loneliness and shyness, improved mood, comfort provision, assistance in coping with stress or anxiety, and facilitation of social interactions.Pet owners observed that individuals with mental or physical disabilities often share a strong bond with their pets.For those with autism, animals can offer a less stressful means of engaging in social interactions.Additionally, pets can serve as a distraction for individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder, while the physical touch and petting of an animal can provide comfort for those experiencing anxiety disorders.Dog owners with hypertension experienced a notable decrease in blood pressure when faced with stress.Conclusion: The majority of pet owners reported enhanced mental health and concurred that companion animals alleviated feelings of social isolation, elevated their mood, assisted in coping with stress or anxiety, and diminished their shyness in the presence of their dogs.All age groups exhibited evidence that pets enhance feelings of joy, pleasure, and comfort.The majority of pet owners reported an enhancement in their sleep patterns since cohabiting with companion animals and 33.30% of individuals with hypertension on medication firmly concurred that their blood pressure had markedly decreased in response to stress.