摘要：Existing literature on pet-human relationships reports mixed evidence indicating both positive and negative impacts of pet possession. Based on specific inclusion criteria, including only considering pet ownership in terms of cats and dogs, this paper reviewed 11 empirical studies published in eight journal articles to explore whether pet possession has any impact on owner’s health and well-being. Results of this review failed to demonstrate a clear relationship between pet possession and owner’s well-being. Few studies report, that having a cat or dog promotes physical activity and overall fitness of the owners. Additionally, few studies claim pet-owner companionship impacts positively on the owner’s psychological well-being in terms of decreased depression, anxiety and loneliness. No other areas within the general health of the owner were noted to benefit from cat or dog ownership. However, these findings need to be considered very cautiously because of the methodological flaws in pet-human well-being studies. Robust scientific enquiry is needed to claim the health benefits of pet possession.
关键词：Pet Possession;Well-being;Physical health;Psychological Health
