SCIENTIFIC PROOF THAT PETS CAN MAKE YOU HAPPY
Source: Psychology Today (Extract)
Posted: April 16, 2025
A new study scientifically quantified the effect of pets on life satisfaction.
Across the globe, countless people share their lives with pets—and for good reason. A growing body of research has shown that having a pet can positively influence various aspects of health. While many people intuitively agree that pets make life better, surprisingly little is known about just how much they improve life satisfaction. A recent study published in Social Indicators Research (Gmeiner & Gschwandtner, 2025) set out to explore this very question.
A Closer Look at the Science Behind Pet Ownership and Wellbeing
The study was conducted by two UK-based researchers: Michael W. Gmeiner from the London School of Economics and Adelina Gschwandtner from the University of Kent. Using data from the UK’s Innovation Panel—a nationally representative survey—they examined responses from 2,600 households, providing a strong and statistically reliable foundation for their findings.
Participants rated their overall life satisfaction on a scale from 1 (not at all satisfied) to 7 (completely satisfied). The researchers also assessed personality traits using the Big Five model (Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism), alongside information on pet ownership, species of pet, mental and physical health, age, gender, and more.
The Findings: Pets Make Life Happier—By a Lot
The average life satisfaction score among participants was a relatively high 5.24. However, the real insight came from the statistical analysis, which controlled for a wide range of variables. The researchers found a strong, significant effect of pet ownership on life satisfaction. For some individuals, having a pet boosted life satisfaction by as much as 3 to 4 points on the 7-point scale—a substantial increase.
In short: owning a pet appears to make people considerably happier.
Putting a Price Tag on Happiness
What’s more, the researchers estimated the “monetary value” of this boost in life satisfaction. According to their calculations, the wellbeing benefit of owning a pet is roughly equivalent to £70,000 (about $93,000 USD). That’s on par with the life satisfaction gain from regularly spending time with close friends or family. So yes—pets really might be your best friends, at least in terms of emotional payoff.
A Remarkable Return on Investment
When you consider the typical cost of a cat or dog—often less than $1,000—it’s clear that pet ownership offers a surprisingly high return on investment. With benefits valued in the tens of thousands, bringing a furry friend into your life might just be one of the best deals out there.