A new Swedish study finds that dog ownership helps people lead longer lives. The findings were especially profound among dog owners who live alone; for them, owning a dog can decrease their risk of death by 33 percent, while decreasing their risk of developing cardiovascular disease by 36 percent.
"We know that dog owners in general have a higher level of physical activity, which could be one explanation to the observed results," senior author Tove Fall told CNN, alluding to the fact that single dog owners are exclusively responsible for taking their dogs out for walks in all types of weather. Furthermore, Dr. Rachel Bond, who wasn’t involved in the study, theorized that dogs’ ability to reduce their owners’ stress could also lead to increased longevity among humans.
Source: CNN