May is Mental Health Awareness Month, which presents an opportunity to pause, reflect, and acknowledge something many of us already feel in our bones:
Life is better with a pet in it.
Our pets have a way of meeting us exactly where we are, and the science backs that up. According to a 2024 American Psychiatric Association survey, nearly 7 in 10 pet parents say their pets help reduce stress and anxiety, making them one of the most accessible forms of daily emotional support available.
In this article, we're exploring what the research says about the real benefits of having a pet, from mental wellness and mood support to physical health and daily routine, plus we’ll hear from three Nulo athlete ambassadors who know firsthand how much their animals mean to them.
What Are the Main Benefits of Having a Pet?
The advantages of having a pet are wide-ranging and go far beyond simple companionship. Pets show up for us in ways that are hard to quantify, and research is increasingly confirming what pet parents have long suspected.
Emotional support and companionship. Pets offer unconditional presence, which is otherwise rare. They don't judge, don't hold grudges, and don't need you to have it all together. That kind of consistent, non-judgmental connection is deeply grounding during times of stress or uncertainty.
Routine, purpose, and stress reduction. A pet's needs create structure. Feeding times, walks, and play sessions give shape to even the most chaotic days. That sense of responsibility and predictability can be an anchor for mental wellness.
Physical activity and social connection. Pets, especially dogs, pull us out of our heads and into the world. A walk around the block becomes a chance to move your body, breathe fresh air, and often strike up a conversation with a neighbor. This has a ripple effect on mood and health.
How Pets Support Mental and Physical Health
Mental Health: Stress, Anxiety, and Mood
The link between dogs and mental health is well-documented. Interacting with a pet triggers the release of oxytocin and dopamine, the brain chemicals associated with bonding, calm, and happiness, while simultaneously lowering cortisol, the body's primary stress hormone. According to the American Heart Association, even a brief interaction with a dog has measurable effects on these chemical levels, benefiting both the person and the pet.
Many pet parents ask, can dogs sense depression and anxiety? Research suggests they can. Dogs in particular are highly attuned to human emotional states, responding to changes in voice, posture, and scent in ways that prompt them to offer comfort. Whether or not your dog fully understands what you're going through, their instinct to stay close, nudge your hand, or rest their head in your lap usually arrives at exactly the right moment.
Beyond individual interactions, dogs for stress relief have become a recognized part of wellness culture, from therapy dogs in hospitals and universities to emotional support animals in everyday life. Their presence shifts our nervous system out of fight-or-flight and into something calmer.
Physical Health: Movement, Heart Health, and Routine
The physical health benefits of having a cat or dog extend beyond mood. Dog parents are significantly more likely to meet daily physical activity recommendations, and research links pet parenting in general to lower blood pressure, reduced heart disease risk, and improved recovery outcomes from illness.
For those who are less mobile or prefer lower-intensity activity, cats deliver measurable health benefits too. The rhythmic sound of a cat's purr has been associated with lower blood pressure and reduced anxiety, which is a more passive but still powerful form of stress relief.
Pets as Mental Wellness Partners
Elite athletes train their bodies to perform under extraordinary pressure. But what fuels them between competitions, during recovery, and through the inevitable hard days? For many Nulo athlete ambassadors, the answer lives at home and has four paws.
The stories of three of our athlete partners illustrate exactly how animals help humans navigate the emotional demands of high-performance sports and life.
Alex Ferreira is a three-time Olympic gold medalist and halfpipe skiing history-maker. His rescue dog, Brandy, mirrored his own journey of resilience and second chances. Brenna Huckaby is a three-time Paralympic gold medalist and para snowboarding champion who credits her cat, Mouse, as a consistent source of emotional grounding in an unpredictable life. Maddie Mastro is a champion snowboarder who travels the world with her rescue Chihuahua mix, Pippy, a pocket-sized source of joy and accountability.
Their words speak for themselves.
"In 2023, I had two of the worst crashes of my career in a single evening. I came back the next season and won every single event. I feel like I'm similar to Brandy in that way. She's a rescue, and we're both getting our second chances. It just takes a little time, but we rebounded and now get our chance to thrive." - Alex Ferreira on Brandy
"It's silly to think about my cat supporting me through my journey because she's a cat, but she is 100% emotional support. I know at the end of the day, it doesn't matter what I do, what I say, how I placed—she's going to give me purrs if I work for them. And I love that she loves me." - Brenna Huckaby on Mouse
"Pippy is so important for my mental health. Dogs in general, or animals, are just so important. When you're having that bad day and you don't want to get out of bed, you just want to lay there—there's this small little tail-wagging thing at the end of the bed that relies on you and is like, no, we're going on a walk. You need to get out of bed, you have to feed me."- Maddie Mastro on Pippy
