It is now known that dogs and some other animals help people
to stay healthy by having them an animal to care for, by giving them a reason
to take exercise and by helping to reduce stress in their lives. Young children,
especially those with learning problems, and elderly people living alone can be
helped by owning pets, and a return to normal health after a person has had an
accident or has been ill can be speeded up by contact with pets. Also, people
who are disabled can be helped by dogs which are trained to do particular every-day
tasks.
