Start Acting Like an Animal

A FAMOUS SURVEY conducted in 2004 found that one in four Americans have no one to speak to about a personal problem, and that seems very sad.

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So many lonely people! But I think that often-repeated statistic hides something important— something I’m really passionate about: the simple fact that animals are often the ones healing the wounds of loneliness in our society. Pets are often lifelines—fulfilling not just the need for company, not just the need to be loved, but our own profound need to love. Of course this applies not just to people without other people. So many of us who have plenty of human companionship also feel a special bond with a pet.

Such feelings are real and appropriate. Research shows that just looking into the eyes of your pet can lower your heart rate. Their presence alone is enough to calm you down, to give you warmth, to let you feel loved and soothed. One wonderful example is companion dogs trained to recognize an oncoming panic attack who help veterans in their struggles with anxiety. Companion animals help all kinds of individuals with special needs—providing care that we humans can’t or won’t give one another.

Now here’s what really makes me sad: When people are doing horrible things, we often describe them as acting like animals. Such language is wrong.