It’s long been said that “dog is a man’s best friend”, but it’s also true that having a dog or other pet is one of the best ways to improve your health.

According to the American Pet Products Association, it is estimated that Americans spend more than 60 billion dollars annually on pet supplies. This number translates to about 62 percent of American households owning at least one pet, according to statistics from The Humane Society of the United States.

If so many American households own pets, there must be a reason why.