The Center of Happiness
As a person who loves animals, I frequently contemplate how I can adopt more pets or help local animal shelters. It has been my experience that pets not only provide unconditional love, but pet companionship can also be therapeutic. Unfortunately, according to the ASPCA approximately 1.5 million shelter animals are euthanized each year (“Pet Statistics,” n.d.). My hope is that if people learn that pet companionship can improve personal and city health, then more people will support Austin’s efforts to be a humane animal haven.
Austin is filled with many compassionate residents who care about animals. In fact, Austin is the largest no-kill community in the United States (Santiago, 2017) due to a city plan implemented in 2010. The Austin Animal Center (AAC) saves more than 90% of the animals it receives, compared to a national average of roughly 68% (“No Kill in Austin,” 2016). The AAC is considered the gold standard in the U.S. and is also visited by city administrators from other countries. There are many examples that indicate Austin’s animal policy and the AAC will help Austin become a healthier city.
First, a healthy city provides basic services and infrastructure such as sanitation and health care according to the World Health Organization (“Types of Healthy Settings,” n.d.). Unfortunately, basic services and infrastructure cost a lot of money. The good news is that a recent study by the University of Denver concluded that Austin’s no-kill policy improved Austin’s economy by $157 million (McGivern, 2017). This economic contribution can help Austin maintain services and infrastructure that lead to a healthier city. The economic benefits may be surprising, but they are greatly encouraging.
Second, the World Health Organization (WHO) concludes that a healthy city aspires to achieve a good quality of life (“Types of Healthy Settings,” n.d.). Quality of life is subjective, but I believe most would consider personal happiness to be in that equation. Interestingly, research indicates that pet companionship improves personal happiness. For example, in one study it was shown that having a pet is associated with a range of physical, psychological and social health advantages (Smith, 2012). Another study provided evidence that pet ownership positively correlates with positive physiological measures, such as lower blood pressure and lower cholesterol levels (Walsh, 2009). In another study it was concluded that the 1-year survival rate for heart attack patients was higher for patients who had pets, versus patients who did not have pets (Friedman and Thomas, 1995). The benefits of pet companionship even extend to military veterans who suffer from PTSD (“Dogs and PTSD,” n.d.). Given the compelling research, Austin’s animal center certainly contributes to residential happiness and to city health.
Finally, a healthy city is a place where people mutually support each other in developing their maximum potential (“Types of Healthy Settings,” n.d.). People who are unhappy can have habits, such as pessimism, that generally don’t support a positive, constructive community. In addition, Stanford’s Terman Study found that being around unhappy people is linked to poorer health and a shorter life span (Bradberry, 2016). Clearly, if we want Austin to be supportive and healthy, we need to implement solutions that move people toward happiness, and one easy solution is pet ownership!
There are other examples that would support my cause, but one of the best methods to experience the benefits of pet companionship is to visit a local shelter. My tour of the Austin Animal Center (AAC) was informative and encouraging. AAC provides animal protection services to Austin and Travis County and provides shelter to more than 18,000 animals each year. The center’s goal is to place all adoptable animals in homes through adoptions, foster care or rescue groups. The center also has numerous programs and partnerships designed to help pets in the shelter and in the community (click AAC for their website). Talented and compassionate employees successfully integrate many activities and services that enable the center to function smoothly. Possibly the best introduction can be viewed from the following video.
There are multiple options to help the Austin Animal Center, including adoption, volunteer work, foster care and donations. My most recent adoption is a cat named Hunter who craves attention and always has something to say! For those who want to adopt an animal from the center, the process is pretty easy and involves viewing the available pets, providing a valid photo ID, completing minimal paperwork and paying a $75 fee. The fee is an incredible value when you consider your new pet has been “fixed,” micro chipped and vaccinated. Additional adoption information can be viewed at the following video.
For those who don’t have the time, the facilities or the interest to adopt, I would encourage some type of volunteer role at the center. There are many volunteer opportunities, such as walking dogs, caring for small animals, providing tours, greeting others and socializing cats. Volunteers play an incredibly important role and greatly help the center, and my goal is to go as often as possible to help the center. You can even assist other animal-related agencies such as Austin Humane Society or Austin Pets Alive.
The following link will provide more insight into the volunteer opportunities available (click volunteer).
Lastly, if you don’t have the time or the general interest to adopt or volunteer, and foster care is not of interest, then I hope you consider a monetary donation. Every penny counts and every penny is needed to help support the center and other animal-related agencies that greatly care about animals. Even if you are not an animal “lover,” your investment greatly benefits Austin.
Austin has many wonderful qualities, but an often overlooked quality is the compassion that Austin shows toward animals. As a result, Austin has built an impressive animal center and the city is a leader in the housing, care and saving of animals. The academic research strongly suggests that Austin will be rewarded for its efforts and the city will be healthier! I hope you consider adopting, volunteering or donating to animal care locations in the Austin area.
Bradberry, T. (2016, July 26). 10 Troubling Habits Of Chronically Unhappy People. Retrieved April 4, 2018, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/travisbradberry/2016/07/26/10-troubling-habits-of-chronically-unhappy-people/
Dogs and PTSD — PTSD: National Center for PTSD. (n.d.). [General Information]. Retrieved April 4, 2018, from https://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/treatment/cope/dogs_and_ptsd.asp
Friedmann, E., & Thomas, S. A. (1995). Pet ownership, social support, and one-year survival after acute myocardial infarction in the Cardiac Arrhythmia Suppression Trial (CAST). The American Journal Of Cardiology, 76(17), 1213–1217.
McGivern, K. (2017, October 19). New study: Austin’s “No Kill” policy has $157 million economic impact. Retrieved April 4, 2018, from http://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/new-study-austins-no-kill-policy-has-157-million-economic-impact_20180312074646799/1031420997
No Kill in Austin | AustinTexas.gov — The Official Website of the City of Austin. (2016, October 20). Retrieved April 4, 2018, from http://www.austintexas.gov/blog/no-kill-austin
Pet Statistics. (n.d.). Retrieved April 11, 2018, from https://www.aspca.org/animal-homelessness/shelter-intake-and-surrender/pet-statistics
Practitioners, T. R. A. C. of G. (n.d.). RACGP — The pet effect. Retrieved April 4, 2018, from https://www.racgp.org.au/afp/2012/june/the-pet-effect/
Santiago, M. (2017, February 19). Austin celebrates six years as largest no kill-city in U.S. Retrieved April 4, 2018, from http://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/austin-celebrates-six-years-as-the-largest-no-kill-city-in-the-u-s/994716583
Smith, B. (2012). The ’pet effect’ — health related aspects of companion animal ownership. Australian Family Physician, 41(6), 439–442.
WALSH, F. (2009). Human-Animal Bonds I: The Relational Significance of Companion Animals. Family Process, 48(4), 462–480.
WHO | Types of Healthy Settings. (n.d.). Retrieved April 4, 2018, from http://www.who.int/healthy_settings/types/cities/en/
