New report links pet ownership with human health care savings
Pet ownership saves the US health care system $22.7 billion annually, according to report commissioned by the Human Animal Bond Research Institute
A new economic report commissioned by the Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) examined the health care cost savings associated with pet ownership in the United States. Overall, the report found that pet ownership could save the United States health care system $22.7 billion annually.
The report, made possible by a grant from Banfield Pet Hospital, was co-authored by Terry L. Clower, PhD and Tonya E. Thornton, PhD, MPPA, both of whom have extensive expertise in economic and public policy research, according to a release from HABRI.1 The conclusion that pet ownership can save humans money on their own health care comes from a connection of pet owners having better overall health in the form of fewer doctor visits per year and also specific savings for key public health issues affecting millions of Americans, including reduced obesity, reduced infections, and better mental health for children, seniors, and US veterans.
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