petpanionship

Welcome to my Blog Site:

This blog site is about the benefits animal companionship and my journey to my Girl Scout Silver Award.

In May 2025, I became a Guiness Book World Record holder when I acted to raise awareness of the benefits of animal companionship to people by attempting to apply the most animal themed headbands to my classmates in 1 minute. I am so grateful for the support of my school community for their participation!

Did you know that having animals around us can help us live healthier, stronger, more enhanced lives?

The health benefits of animal companionship to humans, according to research:

-Animal companionship is proven to make humans happier. -Pet owners laugh more than non-pet owners. -Pets can increase life satisfaction. -Animals can become a part of the family and stimulate serotonin levels in the brain. -Animal ownership can increase fitness, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, relive stress, and improve mental and heart health. -Animal companionship can help humans suffering from PTSD, depression, and loneliness.

When I was younger, we would incubate and hatch duck eggs from our ducks and raise them into our flock on the farm and pond. These ducklings brought joy into my life and were so fun to take care of! They were also VERY messy, so they required more work than chickens. They require cleanup of their water every day, and it gets so gross that it is unhealthy to share waterers with other birds. But they are really cute and sweet characters. Ducks can be allowed in neighborhoods, but it is wise to check your city and neighborhood’s ordinances first.

Supplies ducks need: Chick waterer:22-42$ Heat lamp:10-12$ chick feeder:3-10$ wood shavings:5-16$ a shelter of some sort (coop, box, etc…):100-600$ water (fake pond, baby pool filled with water etc…):15-600$ Enjoy your ducks!

Ideas for Engaging Your Pets:

-Walking you dog is always a nice way to get your and your pet active outdoors.

-Some dogs love water, some don’t. But they all need to be taken care of and they love the attention.

-Old pets can learn new tricks, so try teaching your pet a new trick for a treat.

-Try out a new toy or go to a pet play place. Pets need friends too!

Hiking with my dogs feels good. I get great exercise, fresh air, and the joy of exploring! My dogs love it and I love watching them love it! It is a great bonding experience and creates wonderful memories.

Goats are loveable too!

Raising a goat herd has taught me a lot about animal social habits and family ties. Goats love their people if they see them often. They need a lot of space to graze, and they can help clear brush from large areas of woods too.

Ways to help animals live better lives: -Preserve the environment, conserve energy, recycle, try not to waste water or other resources. -Post a link to support a local animal charity on your birthday. -Volunteer, foster, adopt, spay and neuter. -Choose products not tested on animals. -Allow some areas of land to stay wild, support land trusts and parks, take time to enjoy wildlife in your area and visit wildlife preserves.

Bee-ing aware of pet environments.

Keeping bees has taught me a lot about the environmental hazards we take for granted. Colony collapse issues are very prevalent in the U.S. We use a lot of pesticides on our yards that can kill bees. Farmers spray them on their fields and bees travel to find nectar from flowering plants to make honey. They need some of that honey to survive on through the winter, but we can have some too!

Organizations to which you can donate locally:

-Local animal shelters and Humane Society. Donate pet food, treats, toys, old pillows, towels, and blankets.

-Volunteer your time to give attention or basic care to the animal shelter dogs and cats.

-Tigers for Tomorrow. Become a member and donate to organizations that rescue wildlife like this one: https//www.tigersfortomorrow.org

Being an eggcellent friend!

Raising a flock of chickens is rewarding! They not only provide fresh eggs, but they also love to eat leftover fruit and vegetable scraps. We have loned our fertilized eggs and incubator to my science teachers to hatch eggs in class to help teach lots of kids about cells and the embryonic stages of life.

References: Gmeiner, M.W., Gschwandtner, A. (2025). The Value of Pets: The Quantifiable Impact of Pets on Life Satisfaction. Social Indicators Research. From: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-025-03574-1

Valeri, R.M (2006). Tails of Laughter: A Pilot Study Examining the Relationship Between Companion Animal Guardianship and Laughter. Society & Animals, 14(3), 275-293.

Weiss, C. (2021). Mayo Clinic Q & A: How Owning Pets Can Lead to a Healthier Lifestyle. From: Https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org