Pets Make Us Happier

A new study proves that pets really do make us happier and healthier.

PsychologyToday.com conducted a survey comparing non pet owners to people who have a dog or a cat and it showed that people with pets are more likely to be married, have children, be involved in their community and have success in their career. They also made about $5,000 more per year on average.

The survey polled over 2000 people over the age of 55. Half of those people had at least one dog or cat living with them, and the others had none.

The pet owners were twice as likely to consider themselves successful in their life. They also got twice as much exercise as those without a pet.

90% of pet owners think that having a pet is good for their well being and 31% said it adds "purpose" to their life.

However, the non-pet owners did excel in a couple areas. The survey showed that they were more likely to retire early and have a mortgage paid in full.