There are lots of positive aspects of owning a pet.
Mars Petcare UK, through The Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition, has long since been recognised as one of the leaders in the field of Human Companion Animal Bond research. Scientific evidence is increasingly showing that pets are good for people. UK and international research demonstrates that interaction with pets can:
-
Reduce the number of visits made to the GP
-
Improve chances of survival after life-threatening illness
-
Reduce blood pressure and perceived levels of stress
-
Provide companionship and enhance social interactions
-
Provide purpose and fulfilment and enrich the quality of life for elderly, lonely and depressed people
-
Perform a vital role in the family unit regarding child development
-
Promote positive responses from those who are withdrawn, aggressive or mentally ill
-
Prevent re-offending in juvenile prisoners
-
Positively affect school attendance rates
As you may be aware, one of today’s major health concerns is obesity, particularly in children. The DOH Change 4 Life campaign tells us,
“If we carry on as we are, 90 percent of today’s children could be overweight or obese by 2050. We all need to address the rise in obesity for the sake of the future health of our children.”
A great way for the whole family to get fit, spend quality time together and have fun is by exercising with their family dog. PEDIGREE Fit Families offers advice and tips on how to exercise with your pet and increase your activity level in a fun and safe way. Visit our website and take a look at how you can have fun and get active with your dog.
Pets as Therapy Sponsorship
Mars Petcare UK has had strong associations with a number of animal charities over the years. Pets as Therapy (PAT) are a great example of one of these. Mars Petcare currently supports the PAT Junior Club and the training programme for new volunteers.
Pets as Therapy is a national charity now in its 25th year. It provides dogs and cats with registered volunteers to visit hospitals, residential care homes and special needs schools and many other establishments. Their role is to provide comfort, companionship and therapy. There are currently approx 3,500 PAT dogs and 90 PAT cats that benefit more than 100,000 people of all ages every single week.
The Pets As Therapy Junior Club started in 2003 and is open to anyone under the age of 18 (the youngest member being 5 years old). Mars Petcare have sponsored The Pets as Therapy Junior Club since 2006. Members of the junior club perform the same role as adult members and often promote the charity and spread the word about the service to their friends. On average there are 50 - 100 new juniors each year with a current registered list of over 200 juniors.
More information on Pets as Therapy is available at www.petsastherapy.org