Spending time with animals can help reduce stress and anxiety in several ways. Petting dogs has been shown to lower people's anxiety levels by 37% and blood pressure. Interacting with pets activates the release of hormones like oxytocin that relieve stress and promote happiness. Dog owners in particular benefit from regular exercise through walking their dogs. Some options for reducing stress through animals include visiting cat cafes where people can drink coffee and play with cats or attending on-campus puppy therapy events.

1. Animal Stress Relief
By Makenzie, Kati, Megan,and Jaden

2. Background
● Patients who spent a short amount of time with a dog before upcoming
treatment operation experienced a 37 percent reduction in their anxiety
levels.
● Pet owners on average get more exercise, especially dog owners. People
have been suggesting exercise as a way of dealing with stress and
depression for a long time, and typically dog owners walk more often and
take longer walks.

3. Importance
- Reduces blood pressure and the stress hormone called cortisol.
- Studies show people have the lowest stress level after spending time with
their pets rather than their spouse or children.

4. Importance
- 37% reduction in anxiety.
- Elevates oxytocin which is linked to happiness and relaxation.
- People experience an increased output of endorphins and dopamines just
after five minutes spent with an animal.

5. What Individuals can do: Cat Cafes
(http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/inpictures/2012/10/2012101492136121271.html)
Step 1:
Order coffee
(optional)
Step 2:
Pet kitties!
Step 3:
Leave stress
free!

6. What Individuals can do:puppy stress relief
(A student cuddles with service dog Claire at a stress relief event on the quad at Boise State University on
Monday, May 1. Nicole Blanchard nblanchard@idahostatesman.com): sourced from Idaho Statesman.

8. Animals Impact On Us
● Animals impact our health by lowering our blood pressure and regulating
our heart rate during times of stress.
● People who own pets are typically sick less often, get more exercise and
visit the doctor less.
● Service animals help aid people who have impaired hearing and those who
are blind.
● Pets improve children’s participation and self esteem.
Local:
● Boise hosts dog meets at local parks, along with hikes along the
foothills.

9. References
“Boise Hiking with Dogs.” Meetup, www.meetup.com/Boise-Hiking-with-Dogs/events/239580217/.
http://www.center4research.org/benefits-pets-human-health/
Blanchard, Nicole. “Working like a dog for finals week? BSU wants you to pet a dog, instead”. Idaho Statesman, 01 May 2017.
http://www.idahostatesman.com/news/local/education/boise-state-university/article147917759.html. Accessed 09 Sept 2017.
“Dogs Help Humans Reduce Stress.” Dogs Help Reduce Stress, animalsmart.org/species/dogs/dogs-help-reduce-stress.
Horton, Jennifer. “Can Pets Make You Happy?” HowStuffWorks Science, HowStuffWorks, 20 May 2009.
Poletick, Rachel. “A Brief History of the Cat Café.” Mental Floss. 04 June 2014.
http://mentalfloss.com/article/56592/brief-history-cat-café. Accessed 09 Sept 2017.
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