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Walking the Dog: The Effect of Pet Ownership on Human Health and Health Behaviors

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  • Rebecca Utz

Abstract

This analysis explores whether pet owners have better physical health outcomes, and if so, whether the positive physical health benefits are explained by better health behaviors that result from having to take care of the pet’s physical needs. Data come from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a representative sample of the non-institutionalized United States population. Analyses were limited to persons living alone (n = 2,474) in order to isolate primary pet caretakers from those merely living in a pet household. Results showed that pet owners, particularly dog and cat owners, had more positive physical health outcomes when compared to non pet owners or those owning other types of pets. Surprisingly, the effect of pet ownership was not mediated by health behaviors such as recreational walking. However, the health benefits of pet ownership were largely reduced once sociodemographic variables such as age, socioeconomic status, and residential location were controlled. The positive health effects of pet ownership appear to be primarily the result of selection, not increased physical activity associated with the active caretaking of pets. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2014

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  • Rebecca Utz, 2014. "Walking the Dog: The Effect of Pet Ownership on Human Health and Health Behaviors," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 116(2), pages 327-339, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:soinre:v:116:y:2014:i:2:p:327-339
    DOI: 10.1007/s11205-013-0299-6
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    1. Wood, Lisa & Giles-Corti, Billie & Bulsara, Max, 2005. "The pet connection: Pets as a conduit for social capital?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 61(6), pages 1159-1173, September.
    2. Bruce Headey & Markus Grabka, 2007. "Pets and Human Health in Germany and Australia: National Longitudinal Results," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 80(2), pages 297-311, January.
    3. Mieke Rijken & Sandra Beek, 2011. "About Cats and Dogs … Reconsidering the Relationship Between Pet Ownership and Health Related Outcomes in Community-Dwelling Elderly," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 102(3), pages 373-388, July.
    4. Bruce Headey & Fu Na & Richard Zheng, 2008. "Pet Dogs Benefit Owners’ Health: A ‘Natural Experiment’ in China," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 87(3), pages 481-493, July.
    5. Bruce Headey, 1999. "Health Benefits and Health Cost Savings Due to Pets: Preliminary Estimates from an Australian National Survey," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 47(2), pages 233-243, June.
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    11. Das, Bhibha M. & Sartore-Baldwin, Melanie L., 2019. "Development of a logic model for a service learning, dog walking course for college students," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 1-1.
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