Pet Owners Live Longer. Here Is the Research.
In 2019, the American Heart Association reviewed 70 years of cardiovascular research and published a scientific statement: dog ownership is associated with a 24% reduced risk of all-cause mortality. For people who had already experienced a heart attack or stroke, the reduction was even larger — dog owners had a 31% lower risk of dying in the year following a cardiovascular event compared to non-owners. These are not small effects. They are comparable to the benefits seen from some medications.
The AHA stopped short of saying dogs cause longer lives — correlation and causation are different — but noted that the evidence was strong enough and consistent enough across multiple large longitudinal studies to warrant clinical attention. The 2019 statement was based on research involving millions of patients across multiple countries.
The Swedish Study
The largest single study underpinning the AHA statement was a 2017 population-level analysis from Sweden, published in Scientific Reports. It tracked 3.4 million people over 12 years using national health and dog-ownership registry data. Dog owners had significantly lower mortality rates from all causes, and the effect was strongest among people living alone. Single-person households with dogs showed a 33% lower risk of death compared to single-person households without dogs.
The researchers noted that the type of dog mattered. Owners of hunting breeds — breeds that require high activity levels — showed the strongest protective effect, suggesting that the physical activity component is a real mechanism, not just a confound.
Cat Owners
The evidence for cats is less dramatic but present. A 2009 study in the Journal of Vascular and Interventional Neurology tracked 4,435 Americans over 10 years. Cat owners had a 30% lower risk of dying from a heart attack and a 40% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease overall compared to non-cat owners. The effect held after controlling for other risk factors.
The Mechanisms
Researchers have proposed several mechanisms: pets increase physical activity, reduce loneliness and social isolation, lower cortisol and blood pressure, and provide a consistent daily routine that promotes healthier behavior. For older adults living alone, the companionship effect may be the dominant factor. For working-age adults with dogs, the exercise effect is likely larger.
Sources
- American Heart Association, 2019 — Circulation — 70-year review concluding dog ownership associated with 24% reduced all-cause mortality and 31% lower mortality post-cardiac event
- Mubanga et al., 2017 — Scientific Reports — 3.4 million person Swedish registry study showing 33% mortality reduction for single dog owners over 12 years
- Qureshi et al., 2009 — Journal of Vascular and Interventional Neurology — 10-year US study showing 30% lower heart attack mortality and 40% lower cardiovascular mortality in cat owners
- Human Animal Bond Research Institute — Research Library — curated database of peer-reviewed studies on health benefits of pet ownership across all demographics
For Pet Owners
Browse pet supplies and accessories in our From Paw to Tail store.
For pet cameras and monitoring tools, search pet cameras on Amazon.
Find unique animal art, shirts, and mugs in our Etsy shop.
From Paw to Tail is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. Links marked with the Amazon tag earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.