Pet Ownership Fails to Show Mental Health Benefits, Study Reveals

Pet Ownership and Mental Health: The Overstated Benefits

A new study tracking more than 6,000 participants over 12 months has contradicted the common belief that pet ownership leads to improved mental health. The findings, published in the journal Mental Health and Prevention, suggest that pet owners reported slightly worse mental health outcomes than those without pets.

Surprising Results in Mental Health Outcomes

Lead author Christine Parsons from Aarhus University, Denmark, expressed surprise at the results. "We were quite surprised to discover that pet owners tended to experience slightly higher levels of depression, anxiety, and anhedonia (loss of pleasure) during the COVID-19 pandemic," she stated. This stands in contrast to the prevailing public perception that pets help alleviate mental health issues.

Study Design and Findings

The study involved 6,018 participants from the United Kingdom, with 54% of them being pet owners. Participants were contacted regularly over the course of 12 months, starting from April 2020, to assess their mental health outcomes. The study found that pet ownership did not correlate with improved mental health at any assessment point. In fact, pet owners generally reported higher levels of mental health symptoms, including loneliness.

Benefits for Those Living Alone

For a small group of participants, particularly those living alone, owning a pet did help reduce feelings of loneliness. This suggests that pets may offer social companionship to those in isolation, though this did not extend to general improvements in mental health.

Exercise and Routine: No Significant Impact

The study also examined whether dog ownership led to increased physical activity or a more structured daily routine, factors often associated with better mental health. While dog owners were more likely to engage in daily exercise (40% compared to 35% among non-owners), this increase did not translate into better mental health outcomes. Additionally, no significant difference was found between dog owners and non-owners in maintaining a routine.

Debunking the 'Cat Lady' Stereotype

Another aspect of the study explored the stereotype of the "cat lady"—a middle-aged, lonely, and anxious woman with many cats. Although women were more likely to own cats than men (30% versus 22.7%), the study found no evidence that cat owners were more lonely, depressed, or anxious compared to non-owners.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the study challenges the widely held belief that owning a pet improves mental health. While pet ownership may reduce loneliness for those living alone, it does not offer significant mental health benefits overall. These findings call for a more nuanced understanding of the relationship between pets and mental well-being.