Pets provide their owners with unconditional love and companionship. Now there's evidence that owning a pet is also good for your health.

A study by the US Department of Health concluded that pets increased the survival rate of heart attack victims. The study revealed that 28% of heart patients with pets survived serious heart attacks, compared to only 6% of heart patients without pets.

Another study revealed that the cholesterol levels of pet owners were 2% lower than the cholesterol levels of people without pets. The risk of those pet owners having a heart attack was reduced by 4%.

Owning a pet can reduce blood pressure as effectively as eating a low-salt diet or reducing alcohol intake.

A US survey of 1,000 Medicare patients showed that 40% of the elderly sought the services of a doctor less often than others. Those who visited the doctor less frequently were pet owners.

Many nursing homes that use companion animal therapy have experienced a significant reduction in the use of prescription drugs. The overall cost of caring for seniors also dropped.

The Farley Foundation recognizes that pets are important to the health and well-being of their owners-particularly the elderly and people with disabilities, who may rely on their pets for companionship. That's why the Foundation provides funding for veterinary services to low-income elderly or disabled pet owners.

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