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There are health benefits to taking care of pets, not least of which are stress reduction, physical activity such as taking your dog for walks, and lessening of depression due to companionship from the animals. Taking care of a pet has been shown to have a positive effect on attitude, and on blood pressure.
Aside from that, pets are interesting. even a tank of fish can be fascinating to watch, and it lowers your blood pressure, just like meditation. Unlike watching television, which is a depressant, observing live animals engages your mind and body, burning calories, just as reading does. Watching TV actually depresses your brain and body functions, causing you to gain weight. Pets return our affection, and have a positive effect on our emotional and physical lives. They’re also just fun to be around.