Over the years there have been a number of studies that linked owning a dog or cat with a slightly longer and happier life due to the unrequited love and companionship that those pets provide.
I wish to take a different view. It is obvious that at least in the case of dog owners, they have an advantage over the rest of the population…
In a word, “forced exercise.” Your average dog gets walked a minimum of twice a day, hence the dog owner is forced to walk and the exercise is painless, you are forced to exercise, hence the health benefit.