New Year, New You!

F E A T U R E S T O R Y

WRITTEN BY: CHELSEA SALERNO, Copy Editor

If you’re like me, then your New Year is often celebrated the same way: by coming up with resolutions in order to better myself and my life, and undoubtably failing to meet these high standards I set for myself. For example, I used to say I would start going to the gym three times a week. I hate the gym, I hate working out and I hate sweating so clearly this was a terrible resolution for me but every single January 1st I would start my “New Year, New Me” regime of going to the gym and by January 15th I had already dropped the habit. For a lot of us, New Years resolutions are impossible to keep up with because they are usually things that we hate doing. But what if there was a resolution that would not only enrich your life but also help save another’s? That’s right, I’m talking about adopting a dog!

Dogs enrich our lives in so many ways. They can make us feel less alone by being there for you when friends and family can’t. They give us unconditional love and support in even the darkest of times and can often give us a purpose. A national survey of pet owners and non-pet owners by the Human Animal Bond Research found that 85 percent of respondents believe that interaction with pets reduces loneliness and can help address social isolation, which is more important in the era of COVID-19 than ever before. Dogs can also lower anxiety levels by offering comfort and affection. Because of this, there has been a sharp increase in the popularity of emotional support dogs. Studies have shown that just 10 minutes of petting a dog can reduce cortisol, a major stress hormone.

Dogs, especially active ones, can also encourage exercise. A 2019 British study showed that dog walking is considered an accepted social expectation and that dog walkers are nearly four times more likely to exercise by walking than non dog owners. It is a widely accepted fact that even a walk as short as thirty minutes every day can lower your heart rate, ease anxiety and relieve stress. It can be hard to convince yourself to get out and move, especially on less than ideal weather days. Dogs provide a reason and a responsibility to get outside and exercise, even if it’s for thirty minutes a day. Furthermore, dogs can provide an excuse to be social. Dog parks, walking trails, even dog friendly bars and breweries can be great places to meet new, likeminded people and your dog can make some friends as well! It’s much easier to exercise or go somewhere alone if you have a furry companion by your side.

By adopting a dog, not only would you be increasing your responsibility to exercise and providing yourself with constant companionship and unconditional love, but you would also be saving a life. Approximately 3.1 million dogs enter shelters across the US each year and of those dogs, at least an estimated 390,000 are euthanized. By adopting a dog, you are ensuring it does not become a part of this statistic. Saving a life is good for the soul, and there are so many benefits to adopting a shelter dog.

In a time where it can feel very lonely and hopeless whether due to quarantining, working from home or just a general feeling of despair due to the state of the world, making a resolution you can actually follow through with can provide some much needed relief. This year, become the new you that you were destined to be! Whether to provide companionship, a reason and responsibility to exercise (without the gym) or for the unconditional love only saving a life can offer, visit your local shelter and consider adopting one of the many dogs in need. Trust me, you won’t regret it! ■