Mental Health Awareness Month: How Pets Support Our Well-Being (One Wiggle, Wag or Purr at a Time)

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time set aside to talk openly about mental well-being, reduce stigma, and remind each other that support matters. And if you’re reading this with a dog curled up at your feet or a cat supervising from the windowsill… you already know something powerful:

Sometimes the most grounding support in our day doesn’t come from a perfect pep talk. It comes from a warm body leaning into us --a tail thumping, a gentle purr -- a loving presence that says, “I’m here.”

This month, we’re shining a gentle light on the ways pets can support mental health—and how we can strengthen that bond in ways that feel good for both ends of the leash. As a strong proponent of mental health and how our pets support us, I became Human Animal Bond Certified by the North American Veterinary Community. Through this process and my decade of experience helping people and their pets, I have learned so much!

Mental health matters… and community helps

One of the best messages we’ve seen for this year’s awareness efforts is National Alliance on Mental Illness’s 2026 theme: “Turning Silence Into Connection.” Their reminder is simple and true: stigma grows in silence, and healing begins in community. Pets don’t replace human community—but they can make it feel more reachable. They can be the bridge that helps us reconnect with ourselves and with others.

Why pets can help mental health (and what the research actually says)

There’s a reason so many people describe their pets as emotional anchors. Research on human-animal interaction is still evolving—and not every study shows the same results—but there’s enough evidence to say this clearly:

For many people, safe, positive time with animals is associated with real benefits for stress, mood, and connection. 

Here are a few of the biggest “why’s,” backed by what we currently know.

1) Pets can calm the stress response in the body

If you’ve ever noticed your shoulders drop when you pet your dog, you’re not imagining it. NIH’s overview of human-animal interactions notes that interacting with animals has been shown to decrease cortisol (a stress-related hormone) and lower blood pressure in some studies. 

The CDC also summarizes research linking the human-pet bond with decreased anxiety and other health benefits. 

Translation: Your pet can help your nervous system remember what “safe” feels like—especially when life is loud.

2) Pets can ease loneliness and increase feelings of support

Loneliness doesn’t always look like being physically alone. Sometimes it’s feeling unseen, disconnected, or “separate,” even in a crowded room. NIH notes that some studies find animals can reduce loneliness, increase feelings of social support, and boost mood. The CDC similarly highlights that pets can help manage loneliness and depression by providing companionship. 

3) Pets encourage routines that support mental health

When things feel chaotic, routine can be medicine.

Pets quietly insist on rhythms:

• breakfast and dinner

• potty breaks

• walks, play, naps

• bedtime rituals

Those touchpoints can create structure when motivation is low—especially for people navigating anxiety, depression, grief, burnout, or big life changes.

4) Pets nudge us toward movement, fresh air, and “micro-social” moments

The CDC notes pets can increase opportunities to exercise, get outside, and socialize, and that regular walking or playing with pets can improve indicators like blood pressure and cholesterol levels. 

Even when we don’t feel like talking, a walk with a dog often leads to tiny, low-pressure interactions—smiles, nods, “what a cute pup!”—that gently remind us we live among other humans.

5) Pets give us purpose, and purpose is powerful

Caring for another living being can be deeply regulating. It’s a daily reminder that you matter to someone.

Not in a dramatic way. In the simplest way:

“You are my person. I choose you.”

Mental Health Awareness Month isn’t about forcing ourselves to be okay. It’s about noticing what helps—then doing a little more of that, with compassion. If your pet helps you feel steady, you’re not alone. The bond is real. The comfort is real. And the small daily moments matter more than we give them credit for.

So here is to a wonderful May! May we all find a little more connection this month—especially the kind that greets us at the door with a wiggle, wag or purr.

If you or someone you love is struggling right now

Mental health awareness also means knowing where to turn.

If you or someone you know is in distress or crisis, free confidential help is available 24/7 through the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (call or text 988). SAMHSA also shares Mental Health Awareness Month resources and directs people to support options like FindSupport.gov and treatment locators. Remember, you don’t have to “earn” help by being at your worst. Support is for right now.