About Dr. Oscar
Bekoff (Dr. Self Help)
Contact
Dr. Bekoff
E-mail
Guest
Book
Articles
A Personal Stance
Self Love
Self Observation
Humanity Towards Self
Love Is An Inner Concept
A Presence And
...A Potential
The Need To Believe
Choices
No Limit
Wholeness
Wellness Throughout
...The Lifespan
Body Talk
Stress
Depression: Exploring The
...Whole-Person
Approach
E-mail Dr. Bekoff with
any questions, comments
or suggestions.
doc@drselfhelp.com
Guest Notes
PETS AND STRESS
There is evidence that the mere presence of a companion ("pet") dog or cat can have a calming effect on people. Just petting a dog can lower both your own heart rate and that of the dog. Of course, experts disagree on the true benefits of the presence of, and contact with, companion animals, but most people do indeed report that they feel better when they are in the company of animals. They feel secure, calm, and the responsibility for the animal may give them a sense of purpose. All in all, there is little or no evidence that the presence of companion animals has a harmful effect on the well-being of people.
Dr.
Marc Bekoff, Professor
Environmental, Population, and Organismic Biology
University of Colorado
Boulder, Colorado 80309-0334 USA
For further reading:
Between
Pets and People: The Importance of Animal Companionship,
by Alan M. Beck and Aaron Honori Katcher, 1996, Purdue
University Press.
Dr. Marc Bekoff also recommends:
Reason for Hope : A
Spiritual Journey
by Jane Goodall, 1999, Warner books.
To read Marc Bekoff's review of "Reason For Hope," click here, then scroll down to the review entitled, "A reader from Boulder, Colorado September 17, 1999."
See also:
- Jane Goodall's Roots &
Shoots Program
- Marc Bekoff's and Jane Goodall's Ethologists
for the Ethical Treatment of Animals / Citizens for
Responsible Animal Behavior Studies
