I initially adopted a cat because I wanted a cute, snuggly friend to hang out with when my roommates were gone. I adopted my cat, Snooki, in September 2018 from the St. Cloud Tri-County Humane Society. She was a two month old, cuddly black Bombay cat, whom I fell in love with instantly. I didn’t anticipate how getting Snooki would impact my mental health.

I didn’t think I’d generally be in a better mood throughout the day, but it feels good to have someone excited to see me and waiting for me to get home every day. It also feels good to care for another living creature; I live a very selfish life style- I live with my friends and my only responsibilities revolve around bettering my own life- but suddenly, I have a roommate that relies on me to eat, drink, stay clean and healthy, and feel loved.

Admittingly, I’d been skeptical about the legitimacy of therapy pets. There tends to be misconceptions about therapy pets and emotional support animals (ESA). Some critics think it’s an excuse for people to be able to bring their pets everywhere they go or a way to sneak pets into pet-free apartments. Universities also use therapy pets to comfort and “destress’ their students during finals week. But are therapy pets really helpful for students? Or are pets on campus a weak attempt at stress mitigation?

The short answer is, yes, pets on campus are helpful for mitigating student stress levels, especially during finals week. This isn’t to say that getting a pet will be a quick fix for a depressive episode or that snuggling a dog will melt all your stress away; pets are a commitment that shouldn’t be taken lightly.

However, studies have found that there is legitimacy and proven benefits to pet therapy. According to a study conducted on the effects of pet therapy on stress levels, “findings revealed a statistically significant effect on heart rate (HR) from before to after pet therapy (PT). This study also found that exposure to pet therapy had the most significant impact on subjective stress responses, specifically self-reported stress and anxiety levels” (Ein, et al., pp. 486). These findings are consistent with my experience. After getting Snooki, daily stress and anxiety feels more manageable. I found that if I can keep this cat alive and give her all the love I have, then I could do the same for myself.

Pet therapy has proven to be a quick intervention and to have a variety of benefits, particularly within mental health settings such as hospitals and schools. Having animals in schools can “increase alertness or arousal due to the social engagement that occurs with the animals” (Palley et al., 2012). In our study, students were clearly animated in their responses to and interactions with the therapy dogs (Crump and Derting, pp. 575). Luckily, these interactions don’t have to be long in order to reap the benefits.

The PAwS study found, “Even with a time limited intervention of 15 minutes, spending time with dogs, [daily or during exam periods], can reduce both perceived stress and biological markers of stress (blood pressure) in University students” (Wood, et al., pp. 264). This means, taking a 15-minute study break to play with your pet can be a productive way to refresh and possibly perceive the assignment to be more manageable and less stressful.

As studies have shown, there is legitimacy to therapy pets, both on campuses and within the home. Getting a pet can be a great way to decrease stress levels, but it is still a responsibility that requires dedication, commitment, and love.

Adopting my cat has proven to be one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. While I can’t speak for a decreased heart rate or blood pressure, I can attest that interacting with my cat is comforting and helps to perceive my stress as more manageable.  That being said, next time your university has pets on campus, consider stopping by; at the very least, you’ll get to see some cute dogs and cats, like the ones available for adoption at the St. Cloud Humane Society pictured below.

References

Crump, Chesika, and Terry L. Derting. “Effects of pet therapy on the psychological and physiological stress levels of first-year female undergraduates.” North American Journal of Psychology, vol. 17, no. 3, 2015, p. 575. Gale OneFile: Educator’s Reference Complete, https://link-gale-com.libproxy.stcloudstate.edu/apps/doc/A435796037/PROF?u=stcloud_main&sid=PROF&xid=66681502. Accessed 14 Feb. 2020.

Ein, Natalie, et al. “The Effect of Pet Therapy on the Physiological and Subjective Stress Response: A Meta‐analysis.” Stress & Health: Journal of the International Society for the Investigation of Stress, vol. 34, no. 4, Oct. 2018, pp. 477–489. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=s3h&AN=132394675&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

Wood, Emily, et al. “The Feasibility of Brief Dog-Assisted Therapy on University Students Stress Levels: The PAwS Study.” Journal of Mental Health, vol. 27, no. 3, June 2018, pp. 263–268. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1080/09638237.2017.1385737.