Strays and Stress: Reducing Stress by Saving Animals

The American Psychological Association (APA, 2022) reports that 76 percent of adults in the United States have experienced psychophysiological health disorders resulting from stress in the prior month, including headaches (38 percent), fatigue (35 percent), anxiety (34 percent), and depression (33 percent). And nationwide, 390,000 dogs and 530,000 cats are euthanized every year (ASPCA, 2024).

Source: Pexels/Pixabay

Can these troubling statistics be simultaneously ameliorated?

There is a positive link between rescuing animals and managing our own levels of stress. People who are interested can save potential friends and significantly reduce their stress levels, providing a win-win!

This post considers the benefits of pets on our stress levels—specifically, pets that we have rescued.

The Problem With Stress

Chronic stress leads to a host of psychological and physiological pathologies, dramatically affecting health, wellness, and overall quality of life (see my posts "Beyond Stress and Burnout" and "Fight or Flight is Just One Part of Stress Reactivity").

Chronic stress is permissive in disease formation and presence (Comer, 2020). This includes chronic inflammatory diseases, cancer, diabetes, autoimmune disorders, cardiovascular diseases, endocrinological diseases, bowel syndromes, viral infections, sepsis, and respiratory diseases (Bonaz et al., 2018; Comer, 2020; Straub & Cutolo, 2017; Streeter et al., 2012). Chronic immune system activation and resulting cytokine presence along with Hypothalamus Pituitary Adrenal (HPA) axis dysregulation interfere with electro-neurochemistry, leading to a range of psychological disorders, fatigue, dementia, post-traumatic stress, compromised sleep, depression, and cognitive difficulties (Comer, 2020; Moraes et al., 2018; Rodriguez et al., 2018; Straub & Cutolo, 2017; Streeter et al., 2012; Verma et al., 2011). Reducing stress provides benefits to a vast array of psychological and physiological disorders.

So, how can rescuing an animal help to reduce the detrimental effects of chronic stress?

Benefits of Rescuing Animals on Stress

There are at least five benefits that animals, particularly rescue animals, provide to help reduce stress.

First, improved neurotransmitter, hormonal, and immune system functioning. When stress occurs, your sympathetic nervous system releases numerous chemical messengers. This is beneficial if the stress is acute or results from an emergent threat; however, when stress becomes chronic in nature, these molecules result in psychophysiological damage (particularly due to the effects of cytokines IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-a). Simply being around pets increases parasympathetic nervous system functioning, which reduces the presence of inflammatory chemicals, such as cortisol and cytokines, thereby reducing stress (NIH, 2024).

Second, increased mirror neuron excitation. Mirror neurons activate when an organism observes the same action performed by another (Rizzolatti, 2004). In other words, mirror neurons fire when observing the behavior of other organisms, causing the observer to behave similarly. This is an important evolutionary developmental concept involved in learning, self-awareness, and empathy formation. By seeing an excited dog or cat, our mirror neurons immediately go into action, causing us to mimic that behavior, leading to a positive affect. It is hard not to put a smile on your face when you walk through the door and you are greeted by an energetic, joyful dog!

Third, increased physical activity and playfulness. No matter how hard your day was, it is almost impossible not to indulge your eager pet with a walk or game of tug of war! Playing and exercising are two of the best ways to reduce stress. These activities get your blood circulating, neurotransmitters engaged, and endorphins flowing. A key hormone that is released is oxytocin, which leads to feelings of closeness and bonding and is particularly effective in reducing stress reactivity and fostering calmness. For more on oxytocin, see my post, "Stress Reactive Variations in Men and Women."

Fourth, heightened mindfulness. Taking care of a pet requires you to focus on the task at hand. That could be feeding them, taking a walk together, tending to the pet's health, or, yes, cleaning up after an accident occurs! What pet owner does not have a stash of doggy bags in every jacket pocket? By focusing on the responsibilities of pet ownership, you are inadvertently practicing mindfulness, which is a significant method to slow a busy mind and reduce stress (Comer, 2020).

Fifth, improved feelings of kindness. The previous four benefits apply to any pet; however, the fifth is unique to rescuing. You are truly saving the life of your new companion. I have adopted many dogs over the years, and they have all been the most appreciative friends I could ever ask for. Simply put, it feels good to show compassion to a dog or cat who is suffering. This reduces stress for both you and your new best friend!

Source: Kat Smith/Pexels

Additional Considerations

These five benefits mitigate stress reactivity and chronic stress-induced pathology. This leads to numerous positive influences in the lives of the adopters. Not only does rescuing animals help with normal everyday life, but it also has shown positive results with specific psychological and physiological disorders.

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For example, my doctoral dissertation was focused on nascent therapeutic interventions for combat veterans with post-traumatic stress (PTS; Comer, 2020). Forty percent of veterans do not seek treatment, 60 percent quit treatment, and 70 percent who seek treatment and complete it do not report the benefits of conventional approaches.

However, being around pets leads veterans with PTS to experience decreased cognitive rumination and hyperarousal. This allows for a calming effect, resulting largely from increased GABA and acetylcholine secretion and decreased amygdala excitation (Comer, 2020). Additionally, and perhaps most importantly, by rescuing an animal, veterans with PTS can engage and solidify their inherent call to protect those in need.

Summary

Rescuing an animal provides many stress-reduction benefits. This can lead to a happier overall outlook, increased physical fitness, reduced disease development or progression, mitigated somatic disorders, and improved mental and physiological wellness. It also has a significant place in treating specific populations suffering from psychological conditions such as PTS.

And let's not forget the benevolent aspect of saving a life!