According to a report, Researchers from the University of Lucerne in Switzerland surveyed more than 2,300 Swiss adults about their relationships with animals, finding that gender was one of several factors linked to how closely people connected with their pets.
But the findings were not entirely warm and fuzzy. Despite the stronger bonds, researchers found no evidence that owning a pet automatically makes people healthier or happier. Pet owners reported poorer overall health and were more likely to smoke cigarettes (but it doesn't say why)than those without animals. Participants who said they received greater emotional support from their pets also tended to report more loneliness and lower psychological well-being.
But the findings were not entirely warm and fuzzy. Despite the stronger bonds, researchers found no evidence that owning a pet automatically makes people healthier or happier. Pet owners reported poorer overall health and were more likely to smoke cigarettes (but it doesn't say why)than those without animals. Participants who said they received greater emotional support from their pets also tended to report more loneliness and lower psychological well-being.
Researchers stressed that the findings do not mean pets are causing those struggles. People who already feel lonely or distressed may instead be more likely to rely on an animal for comfort and companionship.
The strongest bonds were reported among women, people who spent more time with their animals and those who interacted with dogs, all of whom tended to feel more attached to their pets and more emotionally supported by them. The findings suggest that the strength and nature of the human-pet bond reveal more than ownership alone.
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