In numerous statistical studies conducted by scientists between 1980 and today, it was discovered that people living with a pet are on average healthier than other people of the same age with a similar lifestyle. The people with animals had lower blood pressure as well as fewer stress hormones in their blood and went to the doctor less often than people without pets.
The positive effects of the human-animal encounter on mental health are just as well documented as the effects on physical health... Contact with farm animals also triggers clearly measurable psychotherapeutic effects in people suffering from various mental illnesses. Goats, sheep, horses, cattle, pigs, and so on are social animals with distinct personalities and are useful for therapeutic interaction with people.
