| Seniors pets are companions! Our friends! Whether | | | | Do you crawl out of bed each morning and wonder |
| they'repet dogs or pet cats or any of a thousand | | | | how you willfill the hours until the end of the new |
| other pet animalswe bring into our homes, they share | | | | day? Do you lookforward to the air conditioning unit |
| our lives with us asvirtual human beings. | | | | turning on and off tobreak the endless silence of an |
| They faithfully stand beside us no matter what the | | | | empty house? |
| worldthrows at us. They reward us with their trust | | | | Scientific research over the years has revealed |
| andaffection. | | | | somesurprising revelations about the very real |
| We give them personal names. We dub them Fido, | | | | partnership thatexists between humans and their live |
| Butch, | | | | in pets. Medicalscience has shown that a true |
| Fluffy, Mitzi or any of a myriad other appellations. | | | | symbiotic relationshipdevelops in an owner and pet |
| Theamazing fact is that we create entire personalities | | | | equation. |
| aroundthe names we award them with. | | | | The pet and the owner share a mutual need for |
| In our minds they are people just like us! | | | | each other andboth profit from the arrangement. |
| Butch may in fact be just a tiny Yorkshire Terrier | | | | A person's physical and mental health show |
| dog, buthe's a tough little dude who bullies and bluffs | | | | markedimprovement if a pet lives in the household. |
| his waythrough life. Mitzi is a regal, white Persian cat, | | | | Lonelinessdissolves and pet owners display increasing |
| who eventhough she considers herself a queen, she | | | | vigor andcontentment with the companionship of a |
| grants you theprivilege of caring for all of her | | | | pet. Dogs and catswere the pets most often |
| personal needs. | | | | involved in the medical surveys. |
| They get hair all over the furniture and on your best | | | | The research revealed that people felt needed by |
| suitor dress. You find fur balls under the dining room | | | | the pet andwere forced to develop a schedule for |
| tablejust as dinner guests ring the front door bell. At | | | | providing for theanimals' welfare. This mutual reliance |
| teno:clock on a rainy Friday night, Fido scratches at | | | | helped both men andwomen pet owners to become |
| the doorto announce he wants, and needs, to go | | | | more enthused for their ownpersonal welfare. In the |
| outside. | | | | final analysis, the humans feltmore needed and |
| Why do we share our lives with pets and put up | | | | valuable as individuals. |
| with theirmany and sometimes irritating habits? | | | | Because of the contentment factor enjoyed by the |
| The answer is simple...because we need them in our | | | | pet owners,significant physical improvements were |
| personalworlds to make life bearable. | | | | often displayed. |
| Are you a senior parent with a home now devoid of | | | | The very next time you look at Sheba or Butch, lean |
| youngvoices and excitement? Have your children | | | | over andgive them an added pat on the head, or a |
| moved on to theirown worlds and don't barge back | | | | special treat fordinner. |
| into yours as much as youwould like? | | | | Why? Just for being there! |