Photography by Diana Light.
No major medical authority has gone so far as to prescribe a Labrador for your heart health (yet), but a growing mountain of scientific evidence suggests that maybe they should. Pet ownership — particularly dog ownership — is strongly linked with longer life, better physical health, and improved emotional well-being.
This isn’t just feel-good fluff. It’s a public health insight hiding in plain sight.
Dog owners who lived alone had a 33% lower risk of death after hospitalisation for a heart attack and a 27% lower risk after a stroke, compared to non-owners living alone.
The Longevity Link: What the Numbers Say
Let’s start with the hard science. Research published in the American Heart Association’s journal, examining data from over 3.8 million people, found that dog owners had a 24% lower risk of death from any cause and a 31% reduced risk of death from cardiovascular events compared to non-owners. That’s not a marginal gain — it’s significant. Especially when you consider that the mechanism isn’t a mystery. Dogs get us moving, help us build routines, reduce stress, and provide emotional support.
Another large-scale study published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes in 2020 found that dog ownership was particularly beneficial for people recovering from heart attacks and strokes, improving long-term survival. Dog owners who lived alone had a 33% lower risk of death after hospitalization for a heart attack and a 27% lower risk after a stroke, compared to non-owners living alone.
Even Harvard Medical School has weighed in, pointing out that pet owners are more likely to hit recommended physical activity targets, report lower blood pressure, and experience better stress recovery.
Put simply, owning a pet won’t make you immortal, but it could very well help you live longer — and better.
The Silent Revolution in Healthy Ageing
Pets don’t just increase lifespan — they improve the quality of life in those added years. For older adults, pets offer structure, companionship, and purpose. Several studies have linked pet ownership to slower physical decline, reduced risk of obesity and chronic disease, and higher rates of social engagement.
And it’s not just dogs. While much of the cardiovascular benefit data focuses on dog ownership due to the increased activity they require, cats, birds, and even smaller companion animals have also been shown to reduce anxiety and provide comfort, particularly in people living alone or coping with dementia.
Yet for all this emerging evidence, we’re still treating pets in healthcare and senior living policy as an optional extra. That might be a serious oversight.
Photography by Sanda Seitamaa.
Photography by Jon Tyson.
Are Care Homes Missing a Trick?
In the UK, recent research by Blue Cross found that only around 40% of care homes describe themselves as “pet friendly.” But what does that actually mean? In many cases, it’s limited: a few scheduled visits from animals, or a resident cat that roams the halls. Only a small proportion of care homes allow residents to move in with their own pets.
And that’s the crux. While nearly half of care homes accommodate animals in some form, few allow the kind of deep, continuous pet relationships that science shows are most beneficial. For many older adults, entering care means saying goodbye to a beloved animal—and with it, losing a key source of emotional stability and daily motivation.
This isn’t just a policy gap. It’s a missed opportunity for innovation.
Photography by Getty Images on Unsplash.
A Call to Innovators: Rethinking “Pet Friendly”
It’s time to stop treating pet ownership in later life as a luxury and start seeing it as a cornerstone of healthy ageing. Imagine retirement communities where pets aren’t just tolerated but woven into the fabric of daily life — where design, staffing, and routines actively support the human-animal bond.
Future care models could integrate on-site pet care services or partnerships with animal therapy organisations, making it easier for older adults to maintain these vital connections. There’s also room for healthcare systems and policymakers to recognise pet companionship as a legitimate, low-cost, non-pharmacological intervention for boosting physical activity, reducing loneliness, and improving mental health.
The tools for innovation are already here — it’s just a matter of applying them with intention.
Photography by Getty Images on Unsplash.
Photography by Valentin Balan.
The Bottom Line.
No, a dog won’t replace your cardiologist or your fitness tracker. But it might do something no piece of technology can: connect you to the world, to purpose, to movement — and maybe even add a few joyful, active years to your life.
So, as we pour millions into health tech startups and AI wellness assistants, it’s worth asking, is the most powerful longevity tool already sitting at our feet, tail wagging, ready for a walk?
Of course, pet ownership isn’t without its challenges — costs, time, and care needs can make it feel out of reach for many. But what if we could rethink how we support and enable pet companionship, making it a realistic option for more people across all stages of life?
Maybe it’s not just time to get healthy — it’s time to get a pet.
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