Health Column: Cumbrian vet explains benefits of owning pets

We had a ginger cat as a child. When she died, a kitten who was hiding in our garden walked in, and Thomas took over.

He wasn’t the brightest of felines, he’d sit mewing pitifully to be let through the glass door, which was already open. An aunt had also an adopted stray, Bonnie, that was a part of everyone’s family. But it wasn’t until I moved to a new job in the Lakes that I became a proper pet owner.

Being a newly qualified vet can be quite lonely and many of us get dogs in our first year. So, after a long time looking at scampering balls of fluff, one day a little black Labrador pup sat on my foot while I was looking at the rest of the litter. Tess entered my life.

From the first whirling dance before the morning walk, to the last big sigh as she settled down, she became part of my days. She was with me in the car or in the surgery, during the day and on night calls.

Iain's dog, Meg (Image: Submitted)

I began to do ‘Search Dog’ training and everyone knew when Tess had a find, with her wonderful deep bark echoing across the night-time fells. That was 40 years ago, Tess gave way to Rosie, to Tilly to Meg. I have never been longer than three weeks without a dog. The ancient bonds between man and dog are strong ones for me.

Cats appeared later; we sadly learnt that roads and cats don’t mix, and at one stage we had two cats both missing an eye apiece owing to accidents.

I think from the above you’ll have gathered that I like my pets and feel they have brought great benefit to my life. It’s certainly taught my children the importance of caring for a living creature that is dependent on you and the responsibility which goes with that dependence.

It’s also brought an early understanding of grief. They’ve dealt with that in different ways, such as writing a touching verse in school, or carving a small memorial for a grave.

However, I am a scientist and am teaching veterinary science at the University of Central Lancashire, so I need to find some hard science to go with this sentiment on the benefit of pets.

It’s widely accepted that pets can be calming, and there can be no doubt that having to take a dog for a walk keeps one moving. A search of scientific research finds a 2021 review, which is useful, because it means someone has investigated the question already and read most of the papers.

This review confirms that pet owners have lower blood pressure, lower levels of fat and stress hormones in their blood, were more active and had lower obesity.

Pets can contribute to better mental health, especially at times of crisis. It’s hard to think of a better way to unwind from a stressful day than a mug of tea, a dog asleep on your feet and a cat curled up in your lap.

All this before we look at the astonishing relationships seen with assistance or therapy animals in schools and hospitals, with the young and the frail. But especially dogs: guide dogs, Hounds for Heroes, and not forgetting the Mountain Rescue Search Dogs, all of whom are family pets.

We are using our dogs to teach handling to the vets on our courses and as we walk through the buildings, people smile and want to play with them, and they feel it’s been a good day at work. That must be a benefit.