Per the wisdom of Harry Nilsson, "One is the loneliest number" and that man speaks the truth. Why bear the weight of the world alone when you can have friends to bear it with you? Where having human friends over might be a little tricky right now in this current climate (can this semi-circuit breaker please stop, it’s super annoying), perhaps having a furry little one to make everything just a little more bearable might be the trick. Here are some reasons why you should get a pet.

1. Having a pet helps relieve stress.

Stress is rather detrimental to humans. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), stress can cause several physical conditions, including a higher chance of getting cardiovascular diseases, hypertension and stroke, as well as psychological conditions like depression and panic attacks. If stress really does build up, relieving stress then becomes something urgent that we have to deal with before it turns disastrous.

This is where our furry friends jump in. Pets help relieve stress, as by caring for them, they, in turn, care for you. Pets force owners to partake in physical activity, such as walking your pet, which is a good way of relieving stress as exercise helps us produce endorphins, helping amplify those positive feelings we have and decreasing the bad ones.

Having a pet also allows you to create a companionship with the pet, which, in this climate, would be really helpful as we are mostly unable to visit or hang out with our friends and family. Pets also make for really great listeners, as they would sit and listen to their owners for hours on end as we talk to them about our day, our triumphs and our struggles. Also, they will never judge you (or at least we would never know if they are, which is a good thing). These are all really great stress relievers, and not to mention even stroking your pet can help reduce the hormone cortizol, which has been linked to weight gain, low immunity and other health problems.

2. Pets are the perfect friend maker.

Do not underestimate how much pets help you make friends. There is such a large pet community in the world that more often than not, you will find a fellow pet lover in your social circles or places you hang out at. Just starting a conversation on how you take care of your pet will often make it last for hours, and by the end of that talk, you will most likely end up with a friend. You can then set up playdates between your pets, go out together to a pet friendly cafe or a dog park, and spend utmost quality time with another pet and hopefully, a bosom friend for life. Who knows, a World Cup gathering or a Netflix bingeing might just be on the cards.

3. Having a pet helps with those pesky allergens

Contrary to popular belief, having a little pet dander in your life might actually be a good thing. Even if those nasty advertisers might show you something completely different (i.e. enter a room with pet dander = sneeze city), actually having little bits of your pet in your respiratory system will help you build your immunity towards it. According to a study by Bill Hesselmar at the University of Gothenburg, having more exposure to more pets in that critical first year of a baby's life actually decreased the chances of getting asthma, hay fever or eczema, common symptoms of allergies. So get to exposing your kids to more pets, toot sweet!

4. Fur kids actually help prepare you for real kids

Fur kids are a bundle of joy, but they can be a real bundle to handle too. They have their own needs; toilet breaks, food, illnesses and a whole host of other things that can happen. Having a fur kid helps you get into a mindset that you are taking care of something, and to put their needs sometimes above yours first. This is incredible training for when that decision is finally made to have that bundle of joy indeed, as children will most definitely become your whole world, whether you like it or not. Having that all important training from having a pet means that you are already primed for doing all you can to take care of the new addition to the family, and that makes it all the easier to transition into that new lifestyle.

5. Having a pet can be summed up in one word: fun.

Yes, having a pet comes with responsibilities, but one cannot deny that at the end of the day, having a pet is greater than the sum of all its parts, and the easiest word to sum it all up is just that: fun. Pets help you to enjoy life, a brand new companionship, and all the highs and lows of life that being a pet parent can offer. Think of all those amazing times you see on television, the internet, of pet owners having the most amazing time with their furry companions. Countless selfies, incredible memories of your pet doing really dumb things, and you laughing your head off. Having a pet really promises to fill your days with laughter and happiness, as long as you keep your pet happy as well.

In Conclusion

Adopt a pet. Adopt two pets. Adopt all the pets from Soi Dog (they have cats too! Just remember that you are taking care of them, so have pets responsibly). They will bring you nothing but joy and happiness, and give your life meaning as well. Live life to the fullest with a constant companion, and face the world head on together. Most importantly, have fun.