11.    Children who have strong immune systems and fewer illnesses were found to have dogs or cats as pets. This was not true for those without pets. Which means fewer childhood allergies. Thirty-three percent fewer allergies.

12.    Infants at risk for asthma were exposed to cats early on with continued exposure. These children had fewer asthma risks.

13.    Some dogs can sense that a diabetic’s blood sugar is dropping. This may be the result of a change in the person's scent. One in three dogs have this ability and can be trained to recognize that scent to alert the diabetic owner.

14.    There is nothing like a pet’s unconditional love for a child with ADHD. When others don’t understand, a pet certainly will. Having a pet means learning routine and responsibility. And a dog will require exercise, which will help burn off excess energy. Good self-esteem is another side effect of pet ownership for ADHD kids.

15.    Some dogs can alert parents that its child owner is having a seizure. There are other dogs trained to lay over the person with epilepsy if he is on the ground. Also, there are some very special dogs that will alert an owner that he is about to have a seizure so that the owner can get to a safe place to lie down.

16.    People with AIDS who own pets are less likely to be depressed. And a University of California – Davis study confirmed that people with Alzheimer’s have been noted to have fewer anxious outbursts when there is a pet in the house.

Okay, this list is extensive but chock full of good reasons to introduce a four-legged friend into your life. If this doesn’t inflame an urge to get a pet, we don’t know what will. Adopt a rescued pet, they are the most appreciative animals in the world.