Dogs have an amazing and calming effect on people – but that impact is amplified for those people living with an autism diagnosis.
And new research has revealed the impact of autistic adults owning a pet, and how a dog’s affection, and the responsibility of guardianship, has even saved them from taking their own life.
The University of Lincoln, UK, interviewed 36 autistic dog owners on their relationship with their dog and how it impacted their mental wellbeing – with six saying their dog had saved them from suicide.
Researchers, including visiting professor and TV personality Chris Packham, carried out the study in a bid to understand the positive impact of pet ownership amongst different populations – and had not come across this sort of response among other groups they had spoken to.
Affectionate dog-owner interactions, such as cuddling and walking, found to improve the emotions and moods of autistic dog owners most frequently, with routine-like activities such as feeding the pet, also particularly enhancing daily life.
