Everyone knows the phrase ‘Dog is man’s best friend’. You may not agree with that, in fact you may prefer the silent nature of the cat, or the energetic hamster, or maybe even a simple goldfish, but one thing that is certain is that pets can benefit us in a number of different ways.

I myself have a cat and believe that she has had a positive impact on my life, and I am not the only one. When talking to fellow pet owner, Caitlin Monshall about her dog, she said that her dog would try to cheer her up by giving her all his toys and she believes “he thinks they’ll make me happy”. Though many people have light-hearted experiences about their pets trying to cheer them up, pets can have a positive impact on our social and mental wellbeing.

Having a pet can decrease stress, improve mood, help people socialise and even help physical conditions, like helping to lower cholesterol or lowering the likelihood of a stroke.

So, you should get a pet, and there certainly is not a short supply of places you can get them from. There is Romney House Cat Rescue (Obviously for cats), Foal Farm (For cats, dogs, and various other smaller animals), and countless RSPCA centres. Even if for whatever reason you are unable to have a pet, whether it is because of allergies or where you live, you should still encourage other people to get a pet of their own.