GET YOURSELF A PET

• By Amelle Pierre

TABLES OF CONTENTS

• Introduction
• What are pets?
• Benefits to having a pet
• Types of pets to get
• Conclusion
• References

PETS

• A pet is an animal kept primarily for a person's company, protection, or entertainment rather than as a working animal, livestock, or laboratory animal.
• According American Pet Product Association, in 2017, 85 million families have pets in the U.S.

HISTORY OF PETS

• Ancient Egyptian paintings depict house cats which were first allowed into homes to hunt mice after the Egyptians invented the idea of storing grain indoors. Cats, which were sacred in Egypt, are depicted in many statues.

10 REASONS TO GET A PET

• Companionship
• Exercise
• Reduce Stress
• Provide Entertainment
• Teaches you Responsibility
• Antidote to loneliness
• Teaches You To Be More Compassionate
• Protection
• Reduces BP and increase longevity
• Can save your life.

EXERCISE

• People benefit from regular physical exercise regardless of their age.
• Having a pet encouraged you to get off the couch and go for a walk, play, clean up and feed them.
• Encourages you to get up and clean after your pet.
• Provide a clean environment, cages, tanks, litter boxes.

PROVIDE ENTERTAIMENT

• They play with you.
• They perform tricks.
• They let you dress them up in silly outfits.
• They entertain your guest.
• They speak, they sing.

ANTIDOTE TO LONELINESS

• Autophobia, also called monophobia, isolophobia, or eremophobia, is the specific phobia of isolation; a dread of being alone or isolated.

PROTECTION

• Pets can alarm you of dangers.
• Can alarm you of thieves, fires, medical emergencies like syncope, heart attacks.
• Pets other than dogs can alarm others when there is danger.

REDUCES BLOOD PRESSURE

• According to the American Heart Association, Owning a Pet can Protect You from Heart Disease.
• Decrease BP, reduces stress, promotes some physical activity.
• Releases endorphins, seratonin, dopamine, and oxytocin, the happy hormones!!

CAN SAVE YOUR LIFE!

• Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) help with coping.
• Can aid in life threatening situations.
• Trained to detect seizures, hypoglycemia, heart attacks, labor, etc...

PETS IDEAL FOR NEW YORKERS

• Rodents:Hampster, Rabbit, Chinchilla, Gerbil, Rat, and Guinea Pig.
• Swimmers:Betta, Marine Fish, Goldfish, and Freshwater Starters.
• Reptiles:Tree Frog, Bearded Dragon, Gecko, Tortoise, and Newt.
• Birds:Lory, Parakeet, Canary, African Grey Parrot, and Dove.
• Small cats and small dogs.

WHERE TO GO

• Regular pets stores
• ASPCA adoption centers
• Social Tees Animal Rescue
• Animal Care Center of NYC

Red-Eared Slider
Aquatic Turtle
Mr. Fufu Cuddly Puffs

CONCLUSION

• Getting a pet can improve your life greatly. By reducing stress, promoting the release of happy hormones, reducing BP and providing great companionship. You can also give a new one to a pet in great need of love and care.

REFERENCES

• Beck, A. M., & Katcher, A. H. (1996). Between pets and people: The importance of animal companionship. Purdue University Press.
• McNicholas, J., Gilbey, A., Rennie, A., Ahmedzai, S., Dono, J. A., & Ormerod, E. (2005). Pet ownership and human health: a brief review of evidence and issues. Bmj, 331(7527), 1252-1254.