Pets, Especially Dogs, Help During Quarantine

 

From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report.

Throughout human history, we have used animals for food and for work. But thousands of years ago, we began using them for something else – companionship.

They became our pets.

Pets are a source of comfort and happiness. They give their owners good feelings and a sense of purpose, especially during stressful or difficult times.

And we are, indeed, in stressful times.

In many parts of the world, people are under stay-at-home orders to slow the spread of the new coronavirus. Stuck indoors, many people may feel isolated¹ and lonely.

Having a pet – especially a dog – can help.

Health benefits of dogs

Experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States say pets can help ease "loneliness and depression by giving us companionship."

They make special note of the helpful effects of dogs. The CDC says that dogs can have many helpful and healthy effects on the lives of their owners.

Dogs, the health organization says, can: influence social, emotional and mental development in children; help make their owners more physically² active; provide companionship; and reduce people's stress and anxiety.

The CDC estimates that around 38 percent of American households have one or more dogs.

Dogs versus³ cats

Cats are the other most common pet in the United States. Of course, cats can provide affection and companionship. But they also are known for sometimes being selfish and a bit distant.

I myself am a cat owner. My cat sleeps a lot, has no interest in exercise and gives a limited amount of affection. If I pet her too much, she will walk away.

The coronavirus stay-at-home orders have led to many pet memes online. In them, dogs appear very happy that their owners are home all the time. The memes show dogs saying things like, "Yay! Another walk! That's 14 for today!"

In the coronavirus cat memes, however, cats are saying things like, "Why is this human in my house so much?" and "Don't you have a job to go to?"

Dogs are known for being extra affectionate and loyal toward their owners. They like to go on walks, and they like the company of humans. And most experts agree that dogs became pets before cats. So perhaps they have simply had more time to perfect the art of being a pet!

Evan MacLean is a biological anthropologist⁴ at the University of Arizona. Biological anthropologists combine biological and social studies, often to better understand human evolution.

MacLean says that dogs may provide welcome emotional support during the current worldwide health crisis⁵. He says that owning a dog not only makes a person feel good emotionally -- dogs also appear to help control "heart rate, blood pressure and cortisol – a hormone⁶ involved in stress responses."

MacLean adds that simply petting your dog in a soft, slow way may help you both feel more at ease.

On its website, the CDC lists some health benefits of pet ownership (including cats!) They include:

Decreased blood pressure

Decreased cholesterol⁷ levels

Decreased feelings of loneliness

Increased opportunities for exercise and outdoor activities

MacLean says dogs can give us support and help us "weather the storm." In other words, they help us get through a very bad time.

Dogs may provide support and be beside us "through thick and thin." If a pet or a person is with you "through thick and thin," they are with you through good times and bad. In other words, they are loyal. And this loyalty⁸ can be very comforting.

Let's not forget that there is work involved in keeping a pet. Taking care of our pets may help give us a sense of purpose. A dog always needs to walk outside. In our current situation, this gives dog owners a reason to (safely) leave the house and get some fresh air. And, it makes them get a little exercise.

All of that is important and helpful.

"One thing we know is that sitting around worrying doesn't do much good for our mental health. So, refocusing our mental energy on something positive could bring relief at a time like this," MacLean says.

Words in This Story

companionship – n. the good feeling that comes from being with someone else

comfort – v. to ease the grief⁹ or trouble of

stressful – adj. making you feel worried or anxious

isolation¹⁰ – n. the act of separating something from other things

anxiety – n. fear or nervousness about what might happen

meme – n. an idea, behavior, style, or usage¹¹ that spreads from person to person within a culture

loyal – adj. having or showing complete and constant support for someone or something

evolution – n. the process of development of an animal or a plant

focus – v. to direct your attention or effort at something specific : refocus – to again direct your attention or effort at something specific

relief – n. the removal or reducing of something that is painful or unpleasant

1 isolated   

adj.与世隔绝的

参考例句：

• His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
• Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。

2 physically   

adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律

参考例句：

• He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
• Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。

3 versus   

prep.以…为对手，对；与…相比之下

参考例句：

• The big match tonight is England versus Spain.今晚的大赛是英格兰对西班牙。
• The most exciting game was Harvard versus Yale.最富紧张刺激的球赛是哈佛队对耶鲁队。

4 anthropologist   

n.人类学家，人类学者

参考例句：

• The lecturer is an anthropologist.这位讲师是人类学家。
• The anthropologist unearthed the skull of an ancient human at the site.人类学家在这个遗址挖掘出那块古人类的颅骨。

5 crisis   

n.危机，危急关头，决定性时刻，关键阶段

参考例句：

• He had proved that he could be relied on in a crisis.他已表明，在紧要关头他是可以信赖的。
• The topic today centers about the crisis in the Middle East.今天课题的中心是中东危机。

6 hormone   

n.荷尔蒙，激素，内分泌

参考例句：

• Hormone implants are used as growth boosters.激素植入物被用作生长辅助剂。
• This hormone interacts closely with other hormones in the body.这种荷尔蒙与体內其他荷尔蒙紧密地相互作用。

7 cholesterol   

n.（U）胆固醇

参考例句：

• There is cholesterol in the cell of body.人体细胞里有胆固醇。
• They are determining the serum-protein and cholesterol levels.他们正在测定血清蛋白和胆固醇的浓度。

8 loyalty   

n.忠诚，忠心

参考例句：

• She told him the truth from a sense of loyalty.她告诉他真相是出于忠诚。
• His loyalty to his friends was never in doubt.他对朋友的一片忠心从来没受到怀疑。

9 grief   

n.悲伤，悲痛，悲伤的事，悲痛的缘由

参考例句：

• Don't allow yourself to sink into grief,it can do no good.不要使自己陷入悲哀之中，这样一点好处也没有。
• After her mother died,she abandoned herself to grief.母亲死后，她沉浸于悲痛之中。

10 isolation   

n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离

参考例句：

• The millionaire lived in complete isolation from the outside world.这位富翁过着与世隔绝的生活。
• He retired and lived in relative isolation.他退休后，生活比较孤寂。

11 usage   

n.惯用法，使用，用法

参考例句：

• I am clear about the usage of this word at last.这个词的用法我算是弄明白了。
• The usage is now firmly established.这种用法现已得到确认。