A new study led by Adelina Gschwandtner, PhD, has uncovered groundbreaking findings in favor of pet ownership. From the looks of this research, owning a pet more than doubles the odds of being highly satisfied with life. The study examined the survey responses of 2,617 people. These responses came from 769 unique individuals, and they answered very specifically about how owning cats vs. dogs affects mental health. Results indicate that having a pet increases happiness and quality of life. In reality, improving your mental health can be just as rewarding — the equivalent of an additional £70,000 (roughly $92,655) per year.
This research isn’t only about our own happiness. It has the potential to inform public health policies and to develop legal frameworks to support responsible pet ownership in the UK. The study’s authors envision a future where pets are recognized differently in civil and family proceedings, distinguishing them from mere property.
The Financial Value of Companionship
Date range from the pet ownership to long-term, monetary values of nearly $100,000/year. This is not just some random figure, it’s a real-world, practical, positive impact on emotional health. The researchers spoke to over 50 pet owners, using qualitative analysis to detail how pets enhance life satisfaction. Most importantly, they controlled for several other primary factors of interest such as age, sex, education level, ethnicity, marital status, monthly income and household size.
Adelina Gschwandtner elaborated on the significance of this valuation, stating, “At the moment, pets are valued at their purchasing price and are treated like objects.” She argues that recognizing pets as integral parts of families could lead to significant changes in societal attitudes and policies.
“Assigning a dollar amount to emotional well-being makes the findings more digestible to institutions and decision-makers who often rely on economic models,” – Claudia Giolitti-Wright
This financial approach might encourage landlords to rethink no-pet policies—or at least discourage them from imposing bans on pet custody during eviction. Gschwandtner noted that once you appreciate the emotional and economic value of pets, it opens up a world of possibilities. This consciousness could change the way housing policies view and accept pets.
Implications for Public Health Policy
Claudia Giolitti-Wright, MA, MFT, is an ecopsychologist and licensed marriage and family therapist. Founder of Psychotherapy for Young Women, she described the larger context of these findings as well. As she put it, from a public health and policy standpoint, the findings are “actually pretty significant.” We hope our study inspires funders and policymakers to include pets in community efforts so that pet-influenced mental health improvements can benefit more people and families.
“The findings of this study provide valuable information on health policies and practices that could improve mental health and well-being by incorporating pets into community initiatives or other types of programs,” – Ashwini Nadkarni, MD
Giolitti-Wright knew that the implications of the study’s findings were significant. All of that changed, she noted, when it came to translating the impact on emotional well-being into financial terms. “Happiness is deeply subjective, so translating well-being into financial terms isn’t perfect,” she remarked.
Future Considerations and Research Directions
She and her colleagues recognize that examining dyadic attachment styles—individual attachment styles between a person and their companion animal—might offer even richer insights. Such findings would further inform our understanding of the dynamics of pet ownership. Address these disparities Gschwandtner hopes that future studies will examine these variations. He thinks these new departments could go a long way in changing the way our pets make us happy.
“But, given the fact that most people consider their pets as family members or friends, appears plausible,” – Adelina Gschwandtner
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