Studies Link Dog Ownership to Lower Mortality Risk

A 2019 meta-analysis of nearly 4 million people found dog ownership linked to a 24 per cent lower risk of death from any cause during the study period. The same analysis reported a reduced risk of cardiovascular death among dog owners regardless of prior health history.

Dog owners are more likely to meet the recommended 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week, according to multiple studies. Beth Frates, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School, stated that reaching these exercise levels can lower blood pressure, cholesterol and triglycerides.

Adrian Bauman, an emeritus professor of public health at the University of Sydney, noted that dog ownership alone does not guarantee activity. He said only those who walk the dog receive the cardiovascular benefits, and much of the activity is light because dogs stop frequently.

A University of Michigan poll found 70 per cent of pet owners over 50 said pets connect them with others. Frates said these interactions can reduce loneliness and social isolation, both identified as mortality risk factors in a 2025 meta-analysis. A 2019 Swedish study of more than 300,000 heart attack and stroke survivors reported lower death risk for dog owners living alone compared with non-owners living alone.

Bauman added that dog ownership may provide social support and companionship, particularly for older and isolated individuals.

More than eight in 10 pet owners over 50 in the Michigan survey said their dogs gave them a sense of purpose. Frates explained that caring for a dog can create daily structure and responsibility, which some people experience as a reason for being.