who can mend a broken heart

congregation. the first thing most people think of when you talk about february is valentines day. you may know your pet makes

you happy but the nebraska humane society's pam wiese tells us how they're actually good for our hearts.

pam on cam: with valentines day this monthour thoughts are very "heart" oriented. while most pet

owners will tell you that they truly love and appreciate their animals..the re is evidence that these

guys actually make our hearts healthier! pet owners know the fundamentals of why we love our pets. but

pets are a powerful force for our emotional health. they give us something to nurture and care for,

offer a sense of being wanted and needed, offer nonjudgmen tal acceptance, and decrease feelings of

isolation. all that emotional well being also has a physical effectpets can in some cases, literally mend

our hearts. the baker medical research insti tutewhich is the largest cardiac center in australia

surveyed 5700 people: they studied exercise, diet, smoking, blood pressure, and even took blood samples. their findings:

had significantly reduced levels of known risk factors for cardiovascu lar disease not

explainable on the basis of smoking, exercise, weight or socioeconomic status. translation: people with

pets have healthier hearts! a clinical study at brooklyn college in new york monitored

heart disease patients after discharge from the hospital. they tracked survivor's histories, lifestyles,

families, relationships. and they found: "the presence of a pet was the strongest social predictor of

survival." the american geriatrics society cites studies that show that for seniors, the presence of pet lowers

blood pressure and heart rates, lowers doctor visits by 21%, reduces depression and increases

social and physical activites. so why not check out animals here at nhs? you might find your sweet

heartand adopting might literally heal your heart! society is at 89-29 fort street. today -and- tomorrow --

it's open from -ten- until - five-. monday through friday -- from -nine- - until- -seven-. remember you can always

look up animals and find information at n-e-humane- society-dot- org.