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KCBS Animal Update: The Health Benefits Of Having Pets

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS)— Many companies have begun to allow pets into the workplace. Dr. Jennifer Scarlett, with the San Francisco SPCA, explains why she thinks this is a win-win policy.

"Having this policy has allowed some companies to attract and maintain talent and for well-behaved pets it can be a boon for them to not have to stress out about when their person is coming home. For the employee it's been shown to decrease stress, increase the creative process and productivity," Scarlett said.

There has also been talk about the cardiovascular benefits of having pets in the workplace.

KCBS Animal Update: Pets in the Workplace

"In May a panel of experts from the American Heart Association came out and said that having pets was probably associated with a reduced risk of heart disease. That's a strong statement for this group because we know that heart disease has so many factors involved. But pet owners have been shown to have an improved survival rate against heart attacks," Scarlett said.

We've talked about how animal-assisted therapy and pets can help people with ADHD, depression, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, but the main thing is that pets are a lot of fun and bring us a lot of joy.

If you'd like to know more about volunteering, acquiring a pet, or animal-assisted therapy, you can visit us at SFSPCA.org.

(Copyright 2013 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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