New Study Shows Dog Owners Have 31% Lower Risk of Dying from Heart Attack Versus Non-Dog Owners

A new study from the American Heart Association shows that dog owners have “a 31% lower risk of death by heart attack or stroke compared to non-owners.” Additionally, researchers “found that compared to non-owners, dog owners experienced a 24% reduced risk of all-cause mortality”. The study “reviewed patient data of over 3.8 million people taken from 10 separate studies”. Co-author of the meta-analysis Dr. Caroline K. Kramer stated the “findings suggest that having a dog is associated with longer life [but] analyses did not account for confounders such as better fitness or an overall healthier lifestyle”.