50 Pictures Of Pets Being Incredibly Silly To Make You Laugh

“There are many studies that demonstrate positive health and mental health effects of pet ownership on a wide range of human conditions,” Jan Tornick, senior lecturer in the Psychology department at University of New Hampshire and an expert in animal behavior, told Bored Panda in a recent interview.

For example, according to the Waltham Petcare Science Institute, pet parents—especially those sharing a home with a dog—have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and better overall heart health. In addition to that, pets can positively influence people’s mental well-being by providing emotional support and helping them deal with stress and the way they respond to it.

Expert in lifestyle medicine and wellness and a teacher at Harvard Medical School, Dr. Elizabeth (Beth) Pegg Frates, too, emphasized that what critters share with us are more than just playtime and derpy faces. "Pets provide us with a sense of belonging, connection, and contentment for which we all long," she told Harvard Health Publishing.

Dogs, for instance, make their humans exercise, too, whether they feel like it or not. According to Harvard Health Publishing, dog owners tend to walk roughly 20 minutes more per day than those without a four-legged companion.

But the physical activity taking daily walks entails is not the only benefit of taking time to explore the great outdoors with your pet. "Dogs are great mindfulness teachers because they live in the moment, using their senses of smell, hearing, sight, and touch as they move through the world," Dr. Frates pointed out, suggesting that following your dog’s lead while on a walk and focusing on what they focus on can be a great way to relieve stress.

Some research suggests that one of the reasons pets have such a positive impact on people’s well-being is the link between human-animal interactions and their levels of oxytocin—one of the so-called happiness hormones. And one doesn’t need to look far for evidence, just pay attention to any dog-and-owner duo after the human comes home from work; there ought to be faces lighting up, tails wagging, feet stomping, and at least a couple of “who’s a good boi” here and there.