title: The therapeutic value of pets.
abstract: While domestic pets are capable of transmitting disease and inflicting injury, they may also be of benefit to human health. Studies suggest that companion animals, in addition to their well-known role as helpers to the handicapped, may alleviate depression, solace the lonely, facilitate psycho-therapy, socialize criminals, lower blood pressure, increase survivorship from myocardial infarction and ease the social pain of aging in our society.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic; D001717:Birds; D002415:Cats; D002648:Child; D004285:Dogs; D001841:Human-Animal Bond; D006801:Humans