Data and attitude both point to the value of living with pets. This story from The New York Times reviews Some of the reasons why along with the positive benefits.
People who own dogs live longer. They’re healthier. They’re calmer. Their children are less prone to allergies. And they have government-sanctioned reasons to leave the house while sheltering in place.
But what about real estate? Are people who live in pet-friendly buildings happier? Are their apartments more valuable?
Anecdotal evidence strongly suggests that they are.
Dogs aren’t big on social distancing. They lick, sniff and slobber on one another — and on people — in elevators, lobbies and common areas in pet-friendly buildings. Conversation, friendships and romance between owners often form as a result.
“Pets are playful, so buildings with pets have more colors and are brighter and more fun to live in. Pets add vibrancy,” said Dr. Zaynab Satchu, a veterinarian in New York and co-founder of Bond Vet. “Dogs bridge the gap between busy people who wouldn’t otherwise meet.”
Dr. Satchu said she wouldn’t know 80 percent of her Brooklyn neighbors were it not for Tillie, her mini-goldendoodle.
A lot of other dog owners agree. “My social life doubled when I got a dog,” said Lara Benusis, who lives in Long Island City with Kim-Chee, a Pomeranian terrier. Ms. Benusis is in a Ph.D. program in bio-behavioral sciences and teaches yoga.
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