Answer: Their pet
Clues: “Family” and “Fur”
A new study looked at the connection between pets and their humans’ mental wellbeing, and three in five Americans claim their pets have literally saved their lives.
So, maybe it’s not that surprising that some of us would be willing to share our remaining years with our pets. 56% of pet owners say they’d trade years off their own life to extend their pet’s lifespan.
34% say they intentionally got a pet to improve their mental health and for nearly all of them, it’s working: 95% of those people say they’re better off with their pet.
Before getting a pet, only 32% of people rated their mental health as an “A” and after, that number jumped to 71%.
On average, it takes just five hours away from pets before their owners notice their mental health declining, with 41% feeling effects within the first two hours.
And generally, the average pet makes its owner smile 11 times a day and laugh about nine times.