Researchers from Azabu University in Sagamihara explored how owning pets might shape social behavior and personal wellbeing. The study appears in Frontiers in Veterinary Science, a respected scientific journal focused on veterinary research and related fields.
Involving a large sample, the project gathered data from 2,845 students who shared details about their living arrangements and whether they kept pets. Participants also completed a cultural alienation assessment to gauge how closely their personal values aligned with those of family and community groups. This combination provided a nuanced view of how pet ownership intersects with social belonging and value alignment in contemporary student life.
The key findings revealed a nuanced pattern of social trust and community engagement. Participants who owned dogs tended to report lower levels of generalized trust compared with non-owners. Yet, individuals who kept both dogs and cats demonstrated greater involvement in family affairs and in the broader community. In addition, female students who owned both types of pets showed a higher dedication to family life, while male students with both pets were more frequently engaged in social and community activities. These gender-specific patterns highlight how pet ownership can influence social roles and daily routines differently across groups.
To understand these relationships more deeply, the research team tested a statistical model that linked pet ownership to various professional and personal factors. The model suggested that owning a dog or a cat is associated with higher family involvement, and this increased engagement can contribute to greater overall wellbeing. This aligns with broader theories about social support, daily routines, and mental health in young adults, suggesting that pets may act as catalysts for stronger family bonds and a steadier sense of belonging.
The study authors summarized their conclusions by noting a gendered dimension to the outcomes. They observed that during adolescence, women who owned a dog or cat tended to participate more fully in family life, which correlated with higher well-being later on. In contrast, the same clear effect did not appear among men, indicating that social and emotional outcomes linked to pet ownership may differ by gender and life stage. These findings add to a growing body of evidence about how pets influence social dynamics and personal development in contemporary societies.
Beyond the immediate study, prior research in this area has shown that pet ownership is associated with cognitive and emotional benefits across different populations. For instance, older adults have been found to experience slower memory decline when they maintain regular contact with companion animals. While the present study focuses on a younger cohort of students, the broader signal remains relevant: pets can play a meaningful role in shaping social engagement, routine, and mental health across ages. These insights are supported by the ongoing work of researchers who examine the links between animal companionship, social integration, and well-being. Attribution for these broader trends comes from multiple bodies of work in veterinary science and psychology, credited to researchers and institutions that have contributed to this field in recent years, including the team at Azabu University and related collaborators.