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How do pets help people socialize?

Shaun Leannon
Shaun Leannon
2025-10-18 02:59:13
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Pets can provide their owners with more than companionship. A new study shows they can also help create human-to-human friendships and social support, both of which are good for long-term health. Being a pet owner was the third most common way that survey respondents said they met people in their neighborhoods. Pet owners were 60% more likely than non–pet owners to get to know people in their neighborhoods they hadn’t known before. Dog owners, and more specifically, those who walked their dogs, were also far more likely to have reported befriending someone they met through a pet-related connection or getting social support from them. Pet ownership appears to be a significant factor for facilitating social interaction and friendship formation within neighborhoods. For pet owners, this also translates into new sources of social support, both of a practical and emotionally supportive nature. Dogs can be good ice-breakers, making it easy for humans to start conversations. But other animals can do the same thing. Pets may also indirectly improve health by fostering social connections, which are good for long-term health.
Roselyn Dicki
Roselyn Dicki
2025-10-18 00:22:00
Count answers : 29
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Pets become companions and confidants, and they can also help create connections with other people. This can look like finding and joining communities in person or online with other pet owners, meeting people in the park, at the vet, or at other events, and finding common interests by sharing or swapping stories about pets. 54% of pet owners say their pet helps them connect with other people. Human and animal interaction, such as pet ownership or interacting with animals in treatment, is a promising way to help slow the growing loneliness epidemic and improve social connection. 76% agree that human-pet interactions can help address social isolation. People feel connected to and supported by their pets. With love comes taking risks to be compassionate, reaching out and helping others, and showing support.

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Anderson Hansen
Anderson Hansen
2025-10-18 00:11:58
Count answers : 34
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Pet owners are significantly more likely to meet new people in their neighbourhoods than non-pet owners. Around a quarter of those who met people through their pet said that this resulted in at least one new friendship rather than a mere acquaintance. Dog owners fare even better as they are five times more likely to get to know people in their neighbourhoods compared with other pet owners, with dog walking being one of the top five ways for people to meet new people. In all four cities people got to know others in their neighbourhoods through pets more often than through children’s schools or community events. Pets, and specifically dog walking, bring us out of the technology bubble and create opportunities for the kind of real interpersonal interactions that can lead to deep, human friendships. While making friends is not always easy, new research shows that pet ownership can improve the likelihood of forming new relationships, especially in local neighbourhoods. The international study underscores the important role pets can play in helping humans build social relationships and support networks.
Norma Kassulke
Norma Kassulke
2025-10-17 23:44:26
Count answers : 19
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You get a dog or cat because maybe you’re feeling a little lonely, and suddenly find yourself more connected to other people than ever. That’s because pets have a way of building what researchers call social capital — connections among individuals, social networks and the cooperation and trust that arise from them. In fact, a study by Researcher Dr. Lisa Wood from the University of Western Australia found that pet owners were 74% more likely than those without pets to have high social capital scores. Studies have shown that having a dog around makes people more likely to trust and help each other, whether on the street or in a work situation. Having a pet during childhood and adolescence not only teaches children responsibility and empathy but also strengthens their social skills and self-esteem. Feeling alone in a big city? In one large study involving several urban areas, pet owners were significantly more likely than those non-pet owner to make new friends in their neighborhood. Dog walks are the perfect friend-making exercise. You have an instant ice-breaker when someone stops to say how cute your canine is. One study found that significantly more pet owners than those without pets reported giving and receiving neighborly favors. According to one study, pet owners were 57% more likely to be civically engaged than those without pets.

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Margaretta Gutmann
Margaretta Gutmann
2025-10-17 23:24:42
Count answers : 20
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As many of us know, animals provide an avenue for approaching another person socially, serving as a conversational starting point for connection. Simply walking down the street with a dog can lead to significantly more social interactions than walking without a dog. Assistance dogs can also facilitate these interactions. The presence of an animal can also enhance perceptions of trustworthiness and responsibility, which in turn fosters positive social interactions. Researchers found that people were more likely to help a stranger with a dog than one without a dog, suggesting that the presence of an animal conferred perceptions of trust. For children, interacting with a pet can also provide an additional opportunity to practice positive social interactions and develop empathy and compassion. Pets have also been shown to foster social capital in communities, with pet owners consistently reporting higher levels of social capital in their communities than people without pets. The trust inherent in these connections can lead to better health and well-being. Neighbors may rely on one another to assist with animal care, which builds reciprocal trust.