Another Reason Why Owning a Pet Is Awesome
Your pet makes you …
Laugh.
Smile.
Snuggle.
Feel really great about yourself.
But did you know that your pet can help save you cash, too?
According to a study from the Human Animal Bond Research Initiative, two researchers from George Mason University calculated that pet ownership accounts for an $11 billion savings in U.S. health-care costs. Yes, $11 billion dollars.
Here’s how they did that math: Pet owners visited the doc 0.6 times less than non-owners. There are 132.8 million pet owners in the United States, and the average cost of a physician office visit is $139. Therefore, pet owners were responsible for saving $11.37 billion in U.S. health-care costs. Additional savings came from dog owners who walk their dog five or more times a week. This group, totaling more than 20 million people, shows a lower incidence of obesity and were responsible for saving $419 million in related health-care costs.
There have been lots of studies showing how pets improve our personal health and well-being, but this is the first study to show the economic impact of pet ownership.
So, what does this tell us? That not only is owning a pet AWESOME (see gifs above), but it’s also the healthy thing to do — for more than just you!
Do you own a pet? I have to say, on cold or rainy days, my dog is the only reason I get out and walk! —Jenn