The problem we are trying to solve is how exposure to a pet affects heart rate. Does exposure to a pet lower or raise heart rate. What could be the reason behind a higher or lower heart rate? To check this, we put 25 participants to the test, in a room to see their before and after heart rate. Come along with us to check what we have discovered.

Hypothesis: Our hypothesis is we believe that spending time with an animal will lower a person’s heart rate.

We had participants do an online survey questioning their thoughts about pets and pet ownership and how it affected them. Based on this survey we made a hypothesis of how pets physically affect them and their heart rate. To do that we took a different set of people to take their heart rate (BPM) and asked them questions about pet interactions.

Variables: Controlled variable: Clinical study: Using the same dog / hamster, giving each person the same amount of time to see the dog / hamster, and measuring heart rate (BPM) in the same way each time. Online survey: Questions on the survey.

Responding variable Clinical study: Heart rate. Online survey: Their responses.

Manipulated variable: Clinical study: The dog or hamster. Online survey: If the participant had pets they would complete until question 10, if not they would stop at question 3 as the survey branched out.

Materials: The dog we have is a Staffordshire Labrador mix. He's a black dog with a bow tie! He's friendly and loves pets. We also have a Syrian Hamster that is 6 months old and he too will be showcasing his friendly nature. The watch that we used was a Fitbit Charge 6.

Procedures:

Part A: Clinical study - First, measure the volunteer’s BPM (beats per minute) without the dog / hamster. Then, show the volunteer the dog / hamster for the first time for 3 minutes and then take the dog away. Then, we will record their BPM to see if the heart rate is higher or lower than the initial measurement in BPM. Then we will get them to answer some short questions, and we will show them that at the end.

Part B: Online survey - We conducted an online survey to understand more people and their choice of having a pet or not and if it helps with anxiety.

We asked participants to fill out the consent form informing them of the purpose of the study, procedure, risks, benefits and confidentiality. We had 3 main areas of inquiry (1. Subjective stress and arousal, 2. Social attachment and 3. Attention focus), which branched out into two questions. While asking participants to complete the study, we first obtained their consent, then checked their bpm (3 minutes) with our Fitbit Charge 6, (gives a start reading and a final reading, which we then averaged) and recorded our findings (heart rate at the start and end, and the average of the two for the study). We then introduced the participants to the Dog or Hamster (3 minutes)based on the participant's preference)). Afterward, we took the animal out of the room and recorded its BPM again. This was done in order to see if their bpm went up or down. We started with 25 participants.

A lot of research has shown the positive benefits of interacting with pets, including how it can benefit an individual's mental and physical health. Studies indicate that spending quality time with an animal can help continue reducing the individual’s stress levels and improving the overall health and wellbeing of an individual. An individual who has a pet develops a strong emotional bond with that pet and will rely on that pet to help manage emotional issues they may be experiencing because of the support and companionship their pet provides.

This paper, titled “Better Than Any Medicine:” Understanding How Therapy Dogs Support Patients Presenting with Mental Health and Substance Use Concerns in an Emergency Department Setting, was published in the Patient Experience Journal (2024/2025) by Alexandria R. Pavelich, Colleen A. Dell, and colleagues.

The presence of the dogs provided a calming influence, helping to reduce feelings of anxiety and distress related with long wait times and the hospital environment.

Patients reported a strong sense of connection and felt "heard" and supported by the dogs in a way that felt entirely non-judgmental. This was important for those with substance use who feel stigmatized.

Interactions with the dogs served as a "social lubricant," making it easier for patients to talk with healthcare providers and communicate their needs.

The visits provided a welcome, positive distraction from the stress of the Emergency department, leaving them feeling hopeful and optimistic during their wait.

It was found that health staff benefited beyond the patients. Staff members enjoyed the therapy dogs, they helped lower their own stress levels and improved the department's mood, where they often faced issues of overcrowding and staff shortages.

McDowall S, Hazel SJ, Cobb M, Hamilton-Bruce A. “Understanding the Role of Therapy Dogs in Human Health Promotion.” Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 May 12;20(10):5801. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20105801. PMID: 37239529; PMCID: PMC10217936.

Therapy dogs serve as a critical resource in a healthcare facility or community setting. A therapy dog is specifically trained to offer support and comfort to people who are experiencing stress, anxiety, and/or loneliness. Therapy dogs have found their home in locations such as hospitals, nursing facilities, schools, and rehabilitation centres. A therapy dog’s presence has been proven to assist in calming a patient, reducing the patient’s anxiety, and increasing the patient's overall emotional well-being. For many patients, interacting with therapy animals helps provide comfort as opposed to receiving comfort from traditional methods of treatment alone.

Cardiovascular Reactivity and the Presence of Pets, Friends, and Spouses: “The Truth About Cats and Dogs” KAREN ALLEN, PHD, JIM BLASCOVICH, PHD, AND WENDY B. MENDES, MS

Scientific studies have demonstrated that interacting with animals can trigger the release of endorphins, which are chemicals in the brain that help relieve pain and reduce stress. These chemical responses can improve mood and promote relaxation. Additionally, research suggests that individuals who own pets may experience improved cognitive function and brain health compared to those who do not own pets. Caring for a pet also promotes responsibility and provides individuals with a sense of purpose. For people experiencing depression or feelings of loneliness, pets can provide motivation and routine, as pet owners must ensure their animals are properly cared for each day. Pet ownership can also encourage social interaction and help individuals build stronger connections with others. For example, dog owners frequently meet new people while walking their dogs or visiting public spaces such as parks. Pets can act as conversation starters and help individuals form friendships and community relationships. This increased social interaction can reduce feelings of isolation and improve mental health.

Marti, Rahel et al. “Effects of contact with a dog on prefrontal brain activity: A controlled trial.”

Through brain scans, scientists can track changes in brain function when a person views a dog (first encounter) to when they become familiarized with the dog (second encounter). The initial viewing of the dog generally elicited a more heightened state of alertness, as well as a focused effort in determining whether the dog is safe or dangerous; at this point, the amygdala (responsible for fear and emotional response) is generally more active in response to the dog's behaviour and characteristics in terms of mannerisms and movement. However, once the person has established a comfort level with the dog, there is typically a lessening of fear response and areas of the brain associated with happiness.

Here is a visual of a human brain, which indicates what happens to a human brain when it transitions from a stress response to being happy just by looking at a dog. The "before" scan shows that the Amygdala is focused on and activated, as it acts as a "mini alarm" that alerts you to fear and anxiety when you are under stress. However, when the dog comes into view, that alarm shuts off and is replaced by the "Nucleus", a part of the brain where pleasure and reward are experienced. It is at this time that the brain begins to produce dopamine, or a "feel-good" chemical that is produced whenever you consume candy or unwrap a gift. In addition, the Prefrontal Cortex, or the thinking part of the brain, will help your brain shut down (relax) and "bond" with the dog. In essence, the dog acts as a "reset" for the human brain by shutting down their stress response and turning on their happy response. The picture below shows the different brain scans taken before looking at the dog versus after looking at the dog. Notice how different the images are? The first scan shows all the stress present, and the second scan shows everything about what made the brain "laggy" and happy. “Pet ownership, living alone and cognitive decline among adults 50 years and older” Yanzhi Li, PhD; Wanxin Wang, PhD; Liwan Zhu PhD.

The study looked at whether owning a pet can help slow down memory loss in adults over age 50. Researchers studied almost 8,000 older adults over several years and tested their memory and thinking skills. They compared people who owned pets to those who did not, and also looked at whether they lived alone or with others. The results showed that older adults who lived alone and had pets had slower memory decline than those who lived alone without pets. However, owning a pet did not make much difference for people who lived with others. The researchers think pets may help by giving companionship and reducing loneliness, which can help keep the brain healthier as people age. The study looked at whether owning a pet can help slow down memory loss in adults over age 50. Researchers studied almost 8,000 older adults over several years and tested their memory and thinking skills. They compared people who owned pets to those who did not, and also looked at whether they lived alone or with others. The results showed that older adults who lived alone and had pets had slower memory decline than those who lived alone without pets. However, owning a pet did not make much difference for people who lived with others. The researchers think pets may help by giving companionship and reducing loneliness, which can help keep the brain healthier as people age.

Summary of whether a dog has an impact on the prefrontal cortex, it has been shown that even though the patient wasn’t looking at the dog when they were petting it, there was an increase in the oxygen saturation on the dog's side. The prefrontal cortex is what helps you make decisions, and it also doesn’t finish growing until you're in your late 20s.

Based on the study “Cardiovascular Reactivity and the Presence of Pets, Friends, and Spouses: The Truth About Cats and Dogs," by Karen Allen, Jim Blascovich, and Wendy B. Mendes”

The pet owners overall had lower resting heart rates and lower blood pressure than those who did not own pets. During the stressful tasks, pet owners experienced smaller increases in heart rate and blood pressure (lower reactivity) compared to non-owners.

Among pet owners, the lowest heart rate and the fastest recovery happened when their pet was present.

The presence of their partner / spouse increased stress reactivity, while the presence of a pet decreased it. The authors suggest this is because humans—even loved ones can be perceived as judgmental, whereas pets are non-judgmental and offer their unconditional support. Pet owners recover to their original physiological state faster than non-owners after the stressor ended.

We noticed that pets not only provide mental health support, but they can also motivate us to be physically active. For example, dogs need regular exercise, which encourages their owners to stay active as well. We have found that we walk more since we got a dog as we tend to walk more and are more likely to spend time outdoors when compared to those who do not own dogs. Regular physical activity also helps with heart health, builds muscle, and improves overall physical fitness. Partaking in activities with pets can also help alleviate boredom and promote a lifestyle that is more active overall. All of this contributes to how much pets help to improve the mental and physical health of their owners. Pets help to improve the quality of life for an individual through companionship, emotional support, encouragement of physical activity, and the promotion of socializing with others. The ongoing research into human-animal interaction continues to demonstrate that pets are valuable sources of support for people in many different areas of their lives.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1419eL2uau5NcyGZiU2Cja0OV1NNH_nBhYJkYzDRkc0I/edit?usp=sharing

Please click on the link above for the cart, due to the 500 error we were unable to upload it.

Observation The online survey was conducted with 52 people. We interviewed pet owners (64%) as well as non pet owners. (35%).

Question one: The age groups that completed the survey were in the age groups of 11-17, 25-34, 35-44 & 65+. The strongest representation was in the age group of 25-34, and our lowest was 55-64 & 65+.

Question two: Do you have any pets?  63% of people answered Yes, and 37% said No. Which tells us that our subjects mostly don't have pets. It would be interesting to see why 37% of participants do not have pets. We branched out the survey for people who had pets and those who didn’t have pets, giving everyone an equal opportunity to answer the survey.

Question three: Reason for not having pets? The answers ranged between Allergies, busy life, pets are not an option, financial responsibilities and time responsibilities. The most common was allergies, 37%, the second was financial responsibilities, 32%, and the lowest was time and responsibilities. The third most common were busy lives, 26%.

Question four: What is it about a pet-free lifestyle you enjoy? The most selected being 84% chose not to have to worry about the pet. The lowest being more me time, 16%.

Question five: Would you consider fostering a pet? The most being No 42%, then 32% maybe, and last being Yes 26%.

Question six: Are you physically able to care for a pet? 100% of people said yes. The next part of the questionnaire reflected participants with pets.

Question seven: How many pets do you have? The highest being 2 or more at a 55% and 45% being 1 or more

Question eight: What kind of pet do you have? There were 33 responses, the majority being dogs, followed by fish, cats and guinea pigs.

Question nine: Do you consider your pet a member of the family? 97% of participants agreed that their pet was a part of their family, and 3% said no

Question ten: Have you had a bad incident with animals? 67% of participants replied no, they have not, and 33% of participants Replied Yes

Question eleven: Does being near an animal make you feel more connected to the world, e.g., walking in nature, connecting to Mother Earth? 85% participants  replied Yes, and 15% of participants replied no.

Question twelve: Can animals help those experiencing anxiety? 97% participants replied Yes and 3% participants  replied no.

Question thirteen: Please rate the effects pets have on humans.

Companionship Pet fur baby Active Mental Health Security

69.7	24.2	36.4	51.5	36.4
21.2	33.3	33.3	36.4	30.3
9.1	15.2	18.2	3	21.2
12.1	6.1	0	3
15.2	6.1	9.1	9.1

For the clinical study

Our clinical study helped us understand the body and mind impacts of animal and human interaction. During the study, we found out Participant 3 was on heart medication, so the watch was unable to record their reading.

The heart rate further dropped an average after interaction with the animals by 1.6 heart rate (BPM) at the end of the test, which was in total.

For dogs it came down to dogs, the average for dogs was 1.6 bpm. For hamsters 2.0 heart rate (BPM) The average for “on edge” on an average for dogs was 4.6 heart rate (BPM) and for hamsters was 2.3 heart rate (BPM).

Question one:

1. On a scale of 1-10, how on edge do you feel right now?

We noted that the average person’s tension, irritability or nervousness was in the range of 3.6 for the 24 participants. 4.6 for dogs and 2.2 for hamsters.

2. Rate your current level of muscle tension?

We looked at our data to see that the highest we scored on Muscle tension was 9, and the lowest was 0. Then, we gathered that the average was 3.3. 4.1 dogs 2.2 hamsters

Question two:

1. Do you consider your pet a member of the family?

We noted that most people considered their animal a part of their family being 75% while we had 29.2% say no. Dog 78.6% no, 21.4% yes. Hamster 80% no, 20% yes.

2. Does being near an animal make you feel more connected to the world We saw in the experiment that 66.7% said yes, 20.8% said no, and 16.7% said maybe. Dog 71.1% yes, 7.1 maybe and 21.4% no. Hamster 60% yes 10% maybe 30 % no.

Question three:

1. During the interaction, how often did you mind wander to stressful thoughts

We noticed that 75% said no, and 29.2% said sometimes. Dogs 85.7% no, 14.3% maybe. Hamster 80% no, 20% maybe.

2. How easily were you able to focus on the animal’s movements or breathing For this one, 25% very easily, 50% Easily, 12.5% said average and 4.17 % said difficult. Dogs 28.6% very easily, 50% Easily, 7.1% said average and 14.3 % said difficult. Hamster 20% very easily, 60% Easily and 20% said average.

Analysis

We believe the reason why our participant’s heart rate went down 2.5 (BPM) on an average. 3.5 heart rate (BPM) for dogs and 0.1 heart rate (BPM) for hamsters. The number was larger for the dog, we feel the dog removed more stress in the subject’s brain, as the animal has a larger presence vs the hamster.

We found that many people had allergies and financial responsibilities aligned with busy lives. Many participants responded that not having to worry about a pet was high on the list for those who didn’t have pets. Many participants indicated that pets were members of their family, creating an emotional bond to the animal. The bond could be the reason why the study shows companionship and mental health rating high. Our analysis found that some participants didn’t want a pet but still wanted to foster, and some of the participants indicated that they had allergies. This is very interesting because it shows us that despite participants' life circumstances they still wanted to connect with an animal. It is possible that owning a pet has a long term responsibility whereas fostering is a short-term responsibility where they have control of their schedule and flexibility. Perhaps we all long for connection.

Our results showed that the average “on edge” score was 3.6. Participants who we interacted with prior to the animal being introduced in the room had “on edge” tension tension, than those in the room with an animal. This tells us that having an animal in the room may help people feel more relaxed as their attention has a different focus point.

75% of people did not have their mind wandering as a result of interaction with the animals, which showed that they were being more mindful and present in the moment with the animal and their surroundings. 29.2% of participants were possibly preoccupied with their daily tasks.

71.4% of the dog participants were more connected to the world when asked for their feedback, whereas for the hamster 60% were connected. This is reflected in their responses of Very easy and easy showing their presence of mind.

We saw a significant drop in heart rate for younger participants than with older participants. We felt that younger participants were not hiding any of their behaviours and were being open with their immediate feelings in comparison to older participants, as they are impacted by the everyday life challenges.

We also saw that participants who had an emotional bond with the animal scored easily with the observation of the animal’s breathing.

With some of the participants, we have seen their heart rate go down on the chart, and with others, we have seen it go higher than others. Some of the participants said that the time was faster with the animal there than not there. In this first photo, when the dog was not present, their heart rate went down -8bpm but when the dog was present, their heart rate went up to 18 bpm. At the end, their heart rate went to 108 bpm. We think this could also be to the excitement that a dog causes vs a hamster.

Conclusion

In conclusion, our experiment shows that animals can significantly affect human heart rate and emotions. We predict that the second time we measure their heart rate, after they interact with the dog or hamster, it will be lower than the first measurement. This is because animals can help people feel calm and relaxed. When participants saw the dog, those with higher heart rates showed a decrease, while those with lower heart rates showed an increase. In contrast, when participants saw the hamster, everyone’s heart rate decreased. These results suggest that different animals can affect people in different ways. Some animals may help calm us and reduce stress, while others may increase excitement or happiness. This shows that animals can help lower stress. Many participants also said they felt calmer, more focused, and happier when an animal was in the room. Some even said time felt like it went by faster! Overall, our findings support the idea that animals can influence both our physical responses and our emotional well-being.

Our project shows that animals can have a big and positive effect on the heart rate which would impact their emotional well being, especially how we feel. When someone first sees a dog, their brain might become more alert because it is trying to figure out if the animal is safe. This can make their heart rate a little faster. But once the person feels comfortable, their brain starts to relax.

Most people who have pets said their pet feels like part of the family. This shows that animals help us feel connected and less lonely. Our results support the idea that animals can help the brain switch from a stress mode to a happy mode. In our two studies we found that people related to animals, part of their family also connected with the world as well as they saw animals reduces anxiety. In conclusion, animals can help kids and adults feel calmer, happier, and more relaxed.

Sources of error: were the question about muscle tension, we were unable to record this in a scientific way rather we did it by asking our participants. We should have had a questionnaire before and after we introduced the pet. We made an error with Question 2 in our clinical study, we asked participants “Do you consider your pet a member of the family?” we discovered during our study that not all participants owned a pet, therefore their answer was irrelevant which changed our results. There was one instance where we introduced the pet earlier than the 3 minutes. When we did our research study our focus was on the brain but while going through the studies we noticed it had more to do with the heart rate than and the perception of pet ownership than how pets affected the human brain, which led to us changing our title.

1. Citations
   1. Marti, Rahel et al. “Effects of contact with a dog on prefrontal brain activity: A controlled trial.” PloS onevol. 17,10 e0274833. 5 Oct. 2022, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0274833/
   2. Marti, R., Petignat, M., Marcar, V. L., Hattendorf, J., Wolf, M., Hund-Georgiadis, M., & Hediger, K. (2022). Effects of contact with a dog on prefrontal brain activity: A controlled trial. PLOS ONE, 17(10), e0274833.
   3. McDowall S, Hazel SJ, Cobb M, Hamilton-Bruce A. Understanding the Role of Therapy Dogs in Human Health Promotion. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 May 12;20(10):5801. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20105801. PMID: 37239529; PMCID: PMC10217936.
   4. https://debateanimal.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/901d3-pet_paper.pdf
   5. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0274833
   6. https://www.lovingcareanimalhospital.net/pets-that-can-help-improve-your-mental-health/ 
   7. https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/pets/mood-boosting-power-of-dogs 
   8. Marti R, Petignat M, Marcar VL, Hattendorf J, Wolf M, Hund-Georgiadis M, Hediger K. Effects of contact with a dog on prefrontal brain activity: A controlled trial. PLoS One. 2022 Oct 5;17(10):e0274833. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0274833. PMID: 36197880; PMCID: PMC9534402.
   9. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9630635/ 
   10. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10751597/
   11. https://littlebinsforlittlehands.com/heart-rate-experiment/
   12. https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2018/02/power-pets

A big thank you: Mr. Parent and the teaching staff at H.D. Cartwright who made the clinical experiment possible. Ms. Kerry Offord for guiding us through our process. Mr. Henry Johnston for reviewing our paper. Linda Lindseth making the field study form and supporting us with research help. Dr. Diego Nobrega U of C Research department for listening to our ideas and giving us ideas on how to expand our study and answering our questions. H.D Cartwright for being an awesome part of this research project. Kisses (The dog) and Chow Mein a.k.a Bear (The hamster) for being patient, calm and tuff during the experiment. Dalhousie community for letting us include them in our field study.