An original article from Jennifer Marshall Bleakley, author of Paws in His Presence.

One phrase I hear over and over again when collecting animal stories for projects is “I don’t know where I’d be without my pet.” The person will often then share how their pet has helped improve their overall well-being in some way. Many will even credit their pet with helping them grow closer to God. As powerful and beautiful as those interviews are, my experience is anything but isolated. A recent poll conducted by the American Psychiatric Association found that 86% of pet owners say their pets have had a positive impact on their mental health; and a 2020 study, commissioned by the Human Animal Bond Research Institute, provided scientific evidence to the beneficial effects pets can have on people’s mental health. Perhaps that is one of the reasons God encourages us so often in Scripture to consider the animals and learn from them.

But what exactly can we learn from animals? And more specifically, how can pets help improve people’s mental and spiritual health? Research, observation, and personal experience have revealed five distinct ways:

1. Pets ground us and keep us in the moment.

It’s almost impossible to dwell on the past or to worry about the future when you’re fully present wth your pet. Looking into their eyes, feeling their purr reverberate throughout their body, receiving a wet kiss or a paw on your arm—all those actions pull our hearts and minds back to the present. Therapists often encourage clients struggling with anxiety to utilize grounding exercises to bring a spiraling mind back to the present. One easy—and incredibly helpful—grounding exercise involves taking note of five things you can see, four things you can hear, three things you can touch, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste. This practice can become even more helpful when done with a beloved pet by your side—as you bury your fingers in their fur, feel their breath on your face, listen to their purr or pant, and smell the treat you give them. Service dogs are great at helping ground people who deal with PTSD, but all pets can help draw their owner’s heart and mind to the present, where God then invites us to lay our burdens, fears, and anxieties before him.

2. Pets give us a sense of responsibility and purpose.

One woman I recently spoke with said that her dog was the only reason she got out of bed during the first few months of the pandemic. “Nothing seemed to matter anymore,” she told me over the phone. “I was lost, adrift. Everything felt shaken. I wanted to throw the covers over my head and hide. But my dog still needed to eat. She needed to be walked. For her, nothing had changed. She didn’t know there was a pandemic. She needed me like she always had. It was that structure of having to care for her that kept me from sinking into a pit of despair.” That woman is not alone. Pets can be a tremendous help for people struggling with purposelessness. They can also help children learn responsibility and the value of caring for others. Having an animal to care for can provide structure and order to our days. And having someone else to care for can often help us begin taking better care of ourselves.

3. Pets get us moving.

A popular saying among those in the healthcare field is “Movement is medicine,” and pets are experts at getting their humans to move. Whether it’s playing fetch or laser pointer tag, taking your energetic puppy for a walk or simply freshening up your cat’s water, caring for a pet requires us to move our bodies. There are countless studies that show the physical and mental health benefits of movement, but most pet owners would likely say that the joy they see in their animals when they play with them is the best medicine of all.

4. Pets provide us with community.

If we’re honest, most pet parents would likely say that we would rather spend a day with our pet than with most people. However, God created us to be in community with each other. Friendships with other humans is something even the most introverted and solitary pet lover needs in order to live a full and healthy life. Thankfully, our pets can help with that too! A pet provides ample opportunities to meet other pet owners, whether in a pet store aisle, a vet’s office, a social media group, or even in a Zoom meeting when you notice the cute beagle on your coworker’s home screen. If we will let them, our furry friends may just lead us to a new human friend.

5. Pets model trust and dependence.

Whether it’s your dog rolling over to offer you his belly, or your cat waking you from a blissful sleep to demand breakfast, pets are living, breathing examples of trust and dependence. They offer us a beautiful illustration of what it looks like to trust and depend on God. The next time your pet looks up at you in anticipation of food, imagine yourself looking to God for provision. When your dog runs excitedly to meet you at the door, imagine God’s delight at seeing you as excited to meet with him. And when your pet runs to you in fear or trepidation, whether from fireworks, garbage trucks, or—horrors!—the dreaded vacuum cleaner, imagine yourself running to Jesus when you feel afraid. By placing their trust and dependence on us, our pets offer us an opportunity to place our trust and dependence on God, who will never leave us or forsake us—or inadvertently scare us with the vacuum.

In addition to the scientifically proven benefits pets bring to our physical and mental health, if we let them, our furry friends can lead us into the safe, loving arms of the Savior. There is no denying that our animals have much to teach us. The question therefore becomes, will we paws and pay attention?

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