Economists in the UK have crunched the numbers and say owning a pet is just as good for your mental health as getting married—and emotionally equivalent to landing an extra $89,500 a year!
Researchers looked at data from 2,500 households and found that pet owners report significantly higher life satisfaction—about 3 to 4 points higher on a 7-point happiness scale. That’s right up there with clean air, green space, and yes… true love.
They used a method called the “life satisfaction approach” to put a dollar value on the emotional perks of pets.
The study also found pet owners tend to be more extroverted, open, and conscientious. Dog people, specifically, scored higher on emotional stability and agreeableness, while cat lovers ranked higher in curiosity.
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