Study Finds That Japanese Dog Owners Have Lower Risk Of Disability Compared To Non-Dog Owners

A new study, conducted by Yu Taniguchi of the National Institute for Environmental Studies in Tsukuba, Japan, aimed to understand the relationship between dog ownership and risk of disability among older adults. 

To collect the data, 11,233 Japanese adults ranging from ages 65-84 were given a questionnaire to answer. Questions such as cat or dog ownership, demographics, disability, and other health information were collected, spanning the period of June 2016-January 2020.

The findings were indeed fascinating as those who were current dog owners were less likely to have a disability compared to those who never owned a dog. Cat owners, on the other hand, showed no relationship between cat ownership and disability risk. 

Owning a dog comes with the responsibility of walking them and spending time with them. Companionship and exercising a pet dog could be one of the major factors as to why dog owners are less likely to have a disability. It’s no wonder pet therapy for the elderly is becoming popular as well. 

What did you think of this study? Did the results surprise you too?