(ANSI: New York) -- According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a pet in your household can have a positive impact on your health by lowering blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels; increasing exercise, outdoor activity, and socialization; and decreasing loneliness. The majority of Americans are cashing in on these creature comforts: the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) U.S. Pet Ownership and Demographics Sourcebook (Center for Information Management, AVMA, 2007) reports that 57 percent of U.S.  households have at least one pet, accounting for the country’s 72 million pet dogs, 82 million pet cats, and millions of birds, horses, and other critters.

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