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Rebecca Bishop
Ms. Grant
UWRT 1103
October 13, 2014
Inquiry Proposal
The affect that pets have on humans is very interesting. Pets are said to have a positive
impact on human health. An interesting subject to investigate would be the human-pet
relationship and its true affects on people. Some inquiry questions could be; how are people
without pets different from people with pets? What kind of animal is the best pet to own for
better health? Are people with pets more emotionally and physically healthy? How do pets
actually improve humans well being? Do pets really have an impact on humans mental health?
This topic is interesting because most people dont realize the true impact animals have on
humans. Pets are very loving. Although most people think they are taking care of the animal,
animals are taking care of the owners too. For example, there are dogs that help guide the blind.
There are always two sides to an argument though. Although most people think pets are good for
your health, it is not a definite fact that they are better for us. Another question could be do
animals affect our health in different ways depending on ones age or gender? This inquiry topic
has many different directions it could go, but the main purpose is to figure out if pets actually
impact human health and in what ways. Possible sources to use are The Impact of Pets on
Human Health and Psychological Well-Being: Fact, Fiction or Hypothesis? by Harold Herzog
and Mental Health Implications of Human Attachment to Companion Animals by Jasmin
Peacock, Anna Chur-Hansen, and Helen Winefield. The article by Harold Herzog illustrates an
argument that pets impacting human health may be just fiction and not actually accurate to say.

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The other article was a survey conducted and made into an article explaining the human animal
bond and mental health. Both sources will be great to use in this inquiry paper.

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Inquiry Proposal Outline

Impact of the relationship between humans and their pets

I. Pets take care of humans as much as humans take care of them

A. Used for company
1. People who are lonely tend to get animals for help with loneliness
B. Used for services
1. There are dogs used for guiding the blind
2. There are service dogs that police use to search for drugs, etc.
C. Used for protection
II. How pets affect human health
A. Mentally
B. Physically
1. Animals such as dogs help with exercise, having to walk them
III. How age plays a role in how animals impact humans
A. Children
1. Children can learn responsibilities from pets
B. Senior Citizens
1. Pets can help with loneliness and physical fitness
IV. Conclusion supporting my argument
A. How pets truly impact humans health