According to veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker, the bond between humans and animals surpasses unconditional love and has a big impact on our health and lives.

Having a furry companion is therapeutic on many levels and in many ways. For example, a dog may encourage its typically sedentary owner to be more active.

Interactions between pain patients and therapy dogs are known to correlate with lower reported pain levels.

Children on the autism spectrum show increased positive social behaviors in the presence of an animal.

In general, the presence of a dog enables children to focus better on a task and serves as a source of motivation.

Even just visiting with an animal can have significant positive impacts on a person’s emotional and physical health – a fact that is evident in this video, which displays the heartwarming embraces shared between humans and their animal friends!