We All Love Our Four-Legged Friends

Alice O’Brien Counselling, Newmarket

After a long and detailed search, lasting many years, I have finally found a suitable companion. He is kind and loyal. He is very affectionate. He is very energetic and, like myself, he loves the outdoors. We have enjoyed lots of lovely walks together in the Island Wood. He occasionally has a bout of peeing in inappropriate places but I’ve discussed that issue with him. His name is Bruno, and he is a Border Collie. We are a match made in heaven and I didn’t ever need to join any online dating agencies to meet him - we met on a farm.

Owning a pet is a big commitment. You need to be ready to put in the time and the energy and be ready to have them as part of your family for many years. And you need to be ready to bag a lot of poo. But the mental health benefits of owning a pet are far greater than the drawbacks. Some of these benefits include: An increase in your physical activity. More dog walks mean more steps and there is nothing more motivating than the puppy dog eyes.

• When you come home from a long day’s work, it is likely that the family are very busy. You will be met with a queue of questions, demands and grunts. But not the dog, the dog is always glad to see you and will greet you like you are the most important person in his world.

• Having a pet is a great way to ease the burden of loneliness. They are great company, they are loyal and the purpose of looking after someone else leaves little time for thinking about yourself.

• There are many research based studies that show that dogs reduce stress, anxiety and depression. The introduction of therapy dogs in various settings is proof of that.

So, if you are considering a pet, it is definitely worth factoring in the benefits an extra bit of affection can bring to your life and who doesn’t need a bit more of that.