According to a study, pets make people as happy as an annual income of...

Pets even have an advantage over a romantic relationship : You never have to argue or argue with them. After work, you can end the cozy evening with them by your side without feeling guilty.

People without pets are sometimes baffled and laugh at the close bond between pets and humans. But there's a reason for this special affection: "The psychological and social mechanisms behind it are, by the way, very similar in human-human and human-animal relationships."

Dog, cat, guinea pig, bird: Which makes you happier?

According to Beetz, the emotional benefit depends less on the species than on the relationship and preference. "Someone who likes cats will certainly benefit more psychologically from a cat than from a dog." While walking dogs offers additional benefits such as fitness and social interaction, even small animals can facilitate an intense emotional connection, provided there is a harmonious relationship between human and animal. "Animals can provide emotional support, for example, in times of crisis or mental illness." Stroking and cuddling have a relaxing, anxiety-relieving, and trust-building effect. "This, of course, has a positive effect on the psyche," says Beetz.

Animals are unbiased and grateful

Social belonging is a basic human need. But not everyone finds it easy, whether because their behavior or appearance doesn't conform to human norms. This categorization and favoritism leads to a segment of society feeling increasingly lonely.

Pets offer a valuable counterbalance here. Unlike humans, animals are refreshingly unbiased: "Animals have the advantage of accepting people regardless of human norms." For pets, all that matters is how humans behave toward them (and perhaps sometimes also how and what they feed them). "This is a valuable experience for people with special needs."

The same social mechanisms, the attachment behavior system and the caregiving behavior system, are at work in human-animal relationships, as are the relationships between children and parents and between adults. "Humans are also social mammals, like many of our companion animal species. We have the same hardware, a comparable brain structure, especially with regard to the social brain ," explains Beetz.

This means that animals can actually form bonding relationships with humans. "Basically, it's this: When a person is stressed, they seek contact with their attachment figure, parents, or partner. This contact calms them down and restores a sense of security. But this only works with a secure bond:

The bond between humans and pets

"According to recent data, however, more than half of the population has insecure attachment patterns. When stressed, they are less able to use the support of their attachment figures to regulate negative feelings and stress," says Beetz. This means that, on average, they experience more stress. Unlike living with another person, the emotional stress with a pet is lessened.

The relationship with a pet is almost always characterized by trust, says Beetz. "When they're feeling down, people seek contact with the animal and feel a little better as a result." However, there are also relationships with pets that aren't so harmonious. As with any bond, quality matters. "And as always, both partners contribute to this."

In summary, these results probably reflect the following: It is no wonder that dogs, cats and small animals have long been more than just animal companions for many people: they are true companions for life.

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