A dog or cat can become an important source of companionship, but the studies available so far do not support promising that bringing an animal home will reliably reduce loneliness or improve mental health. Valentine’s Day is a warm reason to think about affection, but it is a poor deadline for a decision that will shape your daily routine for a decade or more. Treat an animal as a long-term commitment you choose for its own sake, and treat any emotional benefit as something you may experience, not something you are guaranteed to receive.
What the studies show, in brief
Most of the evidence on pets and well-being comes from surveys and observational studies. These designs can show that pet owners and non-owners differ, or that a certain pattern appears in a group, but they cannot prove that the animal caused the outcome. People who choose to own a pet may already differ in ways that affect loneliness, stress, or mood, such as income, housing, health, or how much time they spend with other people.
| Study | Design and sample | Main finding on loneliness, isolation, or mood |
|---|---|---|
| Kretzler, König and Hajek (2022), systematic review | 24 studies; literature search ended January 2022 | Only some studies found significant links between pet ownership, loneliness, and social isolation. Results for loneliness were inconsistent. |
| Ogata, Weng and Messam (2023), longitudinal survey | 4,237 participants, each completing between one and six surveys during the COVID-19 pandemic | After adjusting for confounders, no general effect of pet ownership on stress or loneliness. Owners reported lower romantic emotional loneliness than non-owners. |
| Moshfeghinia et al. (2025), systematic review and meta-analysis | 21 studies; 159,322 participants | No significant overall association between pet ownership and depression risk (OR 1.03; 95% CI 0.995–1.07). |
| Marti et al. (2026), representative cross-sectional survey, Switzerland | 2,328 people, representative of Switzerland | No difference between owners and non-owners in loneliness, life satisfaction, psychological well-being, or human social support. |
Loneliness: results are mixed
The 2022 systematic review
The most comprehensive synthesis available, Kretzler, König and Hajek (2022), reviewed 24 studies. Only some detected significant associations between pet ownership and loneliness or social isolation. Among adult studies, pet ownership was linked with lower social isolation in some cases, but loneliness results were inconsistent. Most of the comparisons between dogs, cats, and other pets did not show clear differences. Because the search closed in January 2022, this review describes earlier work and does not capture more recent studies.
A longitudinal survey during the pandemic
Ogata, Weng and Messam (2023) followed 4,237 participants through repeated surveys, with each person completing between one and six. The study is useful because it tracked change over time, which a single snapshot cannot do. Its adjusted analyses did not support a general buffering effect of pet ownership on stress or loneliness. One narrower result stood out: owners reported lower romantic emotional loneliness than non-owners. Because the data were collected during the COVID-19 pandemic, the results may not carry over to ordinary periods of life.
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A representative Swiss survey
The most recent of these studies, Marti et al. (2026), published in PLOS ONE, surveyed 2,328 people in a representative sample of Switzerland. It found no difference between pet owners and non-owners in loneliness, life satisfaction, psychological well-being, or human social support. The authors concluded: “We found little evidence for a general association between pet ownership or regular animal contact and human health and well-being.” The study is cross-sectional, so it captures one point in time, and its findings describe Switzerland rather than every country or culture.
Older adults in Barcelona
A 2024 study in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, Loneliness and pet ownership among dependent older adults in a Southern European urban context, looked at people with functional dependency living in Barcelona. Dog ownership was associated with lower perceived loneliness, particularly among women; the association was less clear for men. The sample drew on 1,600 people, of whom 1,005 answered for themselves, and the data came from a 2023 survey. This is a specific population in one city, and the study cannot establish that a dog caused the difference.
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Depression and mental health
A pooled analysis of depression risk
Moshfeghinia et al. (2025) pooled 21 studies covering 159,322 participants and found no significant overall association between pet ownership and depression risk. The pooled odds ratio was 1.03 (95% CI 0.995–1.07), which sits essentially at no difference. This is observational evidence. It does not show that pets prevent or treat depression, and it should not be read that way.
Dog owners and physical activity
A 2024 comparison of older and younger adult companion animal owners in BMC Psychology found that dog owners were more physically active than owners of other companion animals. The mental-health link, however, was tied to physical activity in general rather than to the animal itself. The authors cautioned against encouraging dog ownership as a mental-health support on the assumption that walking a dog provides benefits.
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Dog or cat: what the evidence does and does not say
The studies do not establish that either species is better for loneliness or mood. The 2022 review found no consistent difference between dogs, cats, and other pets for loneliness and isolation, and the Barcelona finding applies only to dogs in one older population. A better way to choose is to ask which animal fits your life, because a poor match is more likely to cause stress than any species difference would offset.
| Factor | Questions to ask yourself | What the evidence establishes |
|---|---|---|
| Daily time and routine | How many hours are you away? Can someone check in during the day? | Not measured as a predictor of outcomes in the cited studies. This is a practical decision factor. |
| Kind of interaction | Do you want to walk, train, play, or simply share a quiet space? | Not stated. The studies did not compare interaction styles directly. |
| Activity level | Are you willing to go out every day in all weather? | Dog owners in the 2024 BMC Psychology comparison were more active, but activity itself, not the animal, was tied to mental-health outcomes. |
| Housing and household | Do your home, landlord, and household members allow the animal you have in mind? | Not stated in the cited studies. |
| Individual temperament | Does this particular animal suit your energy, schedule, and experience? | Not stated. Individual variation is a practical concern the studies do not address. |
| Species comparison for loneliness | Is one species more effective at reducing loneliness? | No consistent difference in the 2022 review. Dog ownership was linked with lower loneliness among dependent older women in Barcelona only. |
Why these findings are limited
- Associations, not causes. Most studies compare owners with non-owners. Owners may differ in ways that influence loneliness, so a difference does not show the pet produced it.
- Different measures. Studies used different definitions and scales for loneliness, isolation, stress, and well-being, which makes results hard to combine.
- Different populations. Samples ranged from pandemic-era respondents to older adults with functional dependency to a representative Swiss sample. A finding for one group may not apply to another.
- Different dates. The 2022 review’s search ended in January 2022, and the longitudinal study was based on pandemic-period surveys. Newer evidence may differ.
A decision checklist before you bring an animal home
- Decide whether you want the animal for its own sake, not as a gift, a cure, or a shortcut to company.
- Confirm that your schedule, housing, and household can support the animal for its whole life.
- Choose an animal whose needs match your daily time and activity, rather than the species you find most appealing in the moment.
- Talk with your household about shared responsibilities before you commit.
- If loneliness or low mood is a concern, consider it alongside other forms of support rather than expecting an animal to solve it.
If you are weighing an animal in part because you feel isolated, the studies suggest a pet may add comfort but cannot be relied on to change how lonely you feel. Give that difference weight in your decision.
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