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Review
. 2005 Nov 26;331(7527):1252-4.
doi: 10.1136/bmj.331.7527.1252.

Pet ownership and human health: a brief review of evidence and issues

June McNicholas  1 , Andrew Gilbey, Ann Rennie, Sam Ahmedzai, Jo-Ann Dono, Elizabeth Ormerod
Affiliations
Review

Pet ownership and human health: a brief review of evidence and issues

June McNicholas et al. BMJ. .

Abstract

Research into the association between pet ownership and human health has produced intriguing, although frequently contradictory, results often raising uncertainty as to whether pet ownership is advisable on health grounds

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Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1
Three proposed mechanisms for association between pet ownership and health benefits for humans
Figure 2
Figure 2
A Munduruku boy carries his pet, a domesticated wild boar, for a daily cleansing swim in the Rio Canuma Credit: GERD LUDWIG/PANOS
Fig 2
Fig 2
Correlations between questionnaire items measuring social facilitation, affectionate relationship, social support, and recipients' self perceived health in study on non-task related benefits of a trained assistance dog to people with physical disabilities. Correlations, derived from carrying out Pearson's correlation, are significant at P<0.05
Figure 4
Figure 4
Most pets are valued family members Credit: BARRY LEWIS/NETWORK PHOTOGRAPHERS
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

  • Pets--pleasures and problems.
    Mayon-White R. Mayon-White R. BMJ. 2005 Nov 26;331(7527):1254-5. doi: 10.1136/bmj.331.7527.1254. BMJ. 2005. PMID: 16308388 Free PMC article. No abstract available.

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