The futurists, Roger and Joyce Herman report a trend that has taken our society by a vengeance: the humanization of pets. At the very least, there is concrete proof of our increasing love of pets, as seen in escalating pet-related sales, with the pet market already rising to $8 billion, annually. According to local veterinarian, Dr. Steven Levy, only a small percentage of this figure is actually spent at the veterinary office. The Herman’s expect this trend of mounting pet ownership and pet expenditures to continue to rise. Let’s examine why.

As life expectancy has gradually increased, our aging population has experienced increasing feelings of loneliness. With more time in their lives, Boomer, empty nesters, have sought to fill the emotional void left by their departing children, with pets. Pets are becoming an important bulwark against the isolation of our increasingly single and aging society. Not only do pets provide loving companionship, but also, when you get out into the world with the pet, you are increasingly more likely to interact with people you see. For example, studies have shown that people who walked with a dog are three times more likely to chat with a passersby. Increased social interaction is a key to a greater sense of psychological well-being.

Some researchers say pets have inched their way into the void, like master manipulators. In fact, dogs may be the ultimate “social parasite,” playing on human emotions, causing us to believe they feel the full range of human feelings and are just like us. Many people have come to view their dogs as an “in-between species”---half human, half animal. Dr. Levy explains that dogs are truly domesticated, rather than tamed. This means they have been genetically altered through selective breeding and are not likely to return to their wild state.

It is significant that dogs, cats, and other domesticated animals have learned to fill a rare space in the lives of lonely people with their display of loyalty, expectant eyes, and constant love. Scientists say, in the animal kingdom, it is rare that one species injects itself fully into the life of another species. Clearly, dogs have many of us believing they completely understand our human emotions. Unlike dogs, cats are not pack animals. Hence, Dr. Levy says, they are often less likely to become dependent upon humans. Whether a cat, dog, or other pet, domesticated animals are interwoven into the social and emotional fabric of individuals and families lives.

If you talk with a busy vet who has been practicing for over twenty years, you’ll hear how dramatically their practices have changed. People are much more reluctant to euthanize their pet and there are many more “high tech” treatment options available. As in human health care, Dr. Levy reports there are now many sub-specialties recognized by the AVMA, in addition to the veterinary generalist. Some people have spent thousands of dollars on health care for their pet. These people reason that their pet is just like their child. Wouldn’t we do whatever we could for the health of our loved family member, they reason.

The strong emotional bonds we have forged between man and animal are well founded in science. As social beings, we crave intimacy. Pets are a non-judgmental audience who are always happy to see us and rarely shrink from touch. Did you know that as we pet our animals, our heart rates lower, blood pressure drops and mood altering neurochemicals such as phenylethalamine (active ingredient in chocolate), dopamine, beta-endorphins, prolactin, and oxytocin are released into our bloodstream. These natural substances increase in the blood stream whenever bonding takes place. As a result, they stimulate feelings of elation, safety, tranquility, happiness, satisfaction, nurturing and even love. They are the same substances released when a mother nurses her baby. No wonder people reach for their pets in times of stress.

For aging seniors, pets can be a Godsend in many unexpected ways. According to research of Dr. Marty Becker, pets are oftentimes capable of detecting small variations in behavior that even our loved ones don’t notice. Animals have been known to detect a drop in blood sugar in diabetics, the onset of manic behavior in manic-depressives, the presence of cancer and they even give an alert to an oncoming seizure or heart attack.

Pets have grown into a multi-billion dollar industry in recent years. Whether for health or loneliness, evidence suggests that pets are good for us and somehow, we intuitively know it. Psychologically, pets serve as a focus for something outside yourself and interacting with them and petting them, puts you in a calming, meditative state.