When I watch TV, I take breaks to
blink at my cat, who sits facing me,
staring stonily, like a Notre Dame
gargoyle. Cats may “slow-blink”
when they feel safe enough to shut
their eyes, feline behaviorists say—it
signals trust and affection. When,
and if, she slow-blinks back, I take it
as proof that she knows I love her,
and that she loves me.
That’s not the only evidence I
have to go on. Science is showing
just how strong our bonds with ani-
mals can be, and what they do for our
emotional and psychological well-
being. In the 1970s and ’80s,
researchers started taking note
of pet-related benefits, such as
decreased blood pressure and
improved fitness. And social sci-
entists began to register how pet
owners are more engaged in and
connected to their communi-
ties; they’re also more future-ori-
ented. Then they observed a
decrease of cortisol, the stress
hormone, in saliva—ours and our
animals’—after just 45 minutes of
playful interaction.
A “biological spa treatment”
is how Aubrey Fine, a California-
based child psychologist and Cal
Poly Pomona professor emeritus,
describes petting and interacting
with a friendly dog. Fine has made
dogs, fish, bearded dragons, and
lovebirds part of his practice for over
40 years. “Being around animals
helps us feel good, which helps us
to relax,” he says. But what happens,
exactly, when you brush a horse’s
flank? It releases a rush of oxytocin,
the neurotransmitter that exists in all
mammals and floods a mother with
love when she sees her baby.
The feeling is mutual: A
2009 study from Japan’s Azabu
University showed that not only do
pet owners get an oxytocin spike
when looking into their dogs’ eyes,
but the dogs get the same oxytocin
surge when they see us. Results of
a 2018 survey of 962 women found
that those who slept with their
dogs reported fewer sleep distur-
bances than with a human partner
next to them; they also went to bed
and woke up earlier.
That close-knit connection can
have other benefits. “Many mental
health professionals and doctors
informally recommend animals
to patients, especially for loneli-
ness and depression,” says Steve
Feldman, the executive director of
the Human Animal Bond Research
Institute (HABRI). In a 2014 HABRI
poll of physicians, 74 percent said
they’d consider prescribing a pet
for patients’ overall health. That’s
because pets simply make it easier
for us to interact with the world. In
three ongoing studies, research-
ers are investigating how having a
service dog or spending time with
wildlife can help military veter-
ans suffering from PTSD and their
spouses. And a 2015 study pub-
lished in the journal Developmental
Psychobiology gauged how kids who
have autism interacted in playgroups
when given a guinea pig versus a
toy; arousal indicators on their skin
revealed the guinea pig put them
much more at ease. “I think the ani-
mal was acting as a buffer for them
because interacting with other peo-
ple can be incredibly stressful,” says
Layla Esposito, a program director at
the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National
Institute of Child Health and Human
Development. The government
is catching on: The latest federal
spending bill included the Pet and
Women Safety Act, providing money
in grants to make more domestic
violence shelters pet-friendly—
because many women won’t leave
their abusers unless they can safely
bring their pets with them.
So the next time you need to
decompress, consider booking 60
minutes with your dog or cat, at a
pet-owning friend’s, or at a local
shelter. It’s an experience that’s
good for your body and mind.
Advice dispensed, I’ll be on the
couch with my cat.
MATCH-
MAKERS
These organizations
help you find your new
best friend—and make
the world a little better.
PETFINDER.COM
It’s like Zillow but for animals.
You can filter by zip code
(it lists shelters and rescue
groups in all 50 states), animal
type (from cats to barnyard
pets), and special interests
(short-haired dogs, special-
needs cats). Bonus: Confirm
your adoption afterward, and
petfinder.com donates $1
on your behalf to its in-house
foundation, which, in 2018,
gave more than half a million
dollars to help pets affected
by natural disasters, medical
emergencies, and more.
GREY2K USA
EDUCATION FUND
Florida has been the epicenter
of the greyhound-racing
world, but thanks to the efforts
of nonprofits like this one,
state residents voted in 2018
to phase out the practice
(it will be banned entirely after
this year). Now thousands
of these dogs need homes.
The website’s adopt tab lists
national adoption groups and
local ones by state. Not
a potential owner? Consider
a donation. They’re still
fighting to outlaw dog-racing
tracks in West Virginia,
Arkansas, Texas, Iowa, and
Alabama. grey2kusaedu.org
DOOBERT
Dogs and cats often need
a lift: to the vet, to a new
foster home, or to a shelter in
a distant state where they’re
more likely to be adopted. This
online platform pairs volunteer
drivers (even frequent fliers)
with rescue organizations
in need of transportation help,
whether it’s across the country
or just across town. If you
can’t hit the road, you can
offer your photography
or social media skills. Pet
adoption is like online dating:
Animals with flattering
pictures and charming profiles
get more views and meet
more potential matches.
doobert.com
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62 ALLURE APRIL 2020
