Be Healthy, Get A Pet

For as long as I can remember, I always have a pet at home. It started off with a dog who came into the house compound by itself. It refused to leave and I decided that he can stay if he wants to. Everyday after school, the dog will be at the junction waiting for me and the sight of it wagging it's tail is really a stress relieving sight. Pets enrich our lives immensely.

They work for us in many capacities as well as provide us with health and social advantages.The cats I have at home now are my real companion. When the ladies are at work, I am left alone with them. Even doing stinking tasks like splashing the bathroom at least occupies my boring times.

Altogether I have 4 of them, one being taken home a month ago because she can't stand up. Looking at her now, romping around the house (she still can't stand up) wobbling here and there, messing up the feeding bowls, actually brings joy.

The one in the picture is actually 7 years old. She was in a carton abandon in front of my cafe when I was in Langkawi. She and another one has travelled from Langkawi to Cameron Highlands and then here in KL. You can be sure all of them will also follow us back to Cameron Highlands when the time comes.

Some studies have shown that children who grow up with pets tend to be more emotionally stable. Moreover, children exposed to pets in the first year of life have a lower frequency of allergic rhinitis and asthma and adding to that pets relieved loneliness. Pets seem to actually lessen the risk of having a heart attack as well. Pet owners had lower systolic blood pressure, triglyceride and cholesterol levels. These are all accepted risk factors of heart disease and dog owners had 21% fewer doctor contacts than those who did not have dogs.

So, better than swallowing vitamins daily, get a pet!

For those who wants a pet, visit the local SPCA or PAWS to adopt, why pay so much for those in a pet shop that basically assumes the same responsiblities, might as well save a life or two and do yourself some good.