How Pets Benefit Mental Health: everyday boosts for teachers (and students)

I teach online with four cats who love a cameo. They pad across the keyboard, curl up by the mic, and—without trying—lighten the mood. Beyond the laughs, there’s solid evidence for how pets benefit mental health: from easing stress to supporting routine and connection. Here’s a friendly round-up, with gentle nods to ESL life but no heavy classroom “how-tos”.

How pets benefit mental health: the big picture

Companion animals offer steady, non-judgemental company. Charities and research groups highlight links with reduced loneliness, calmer moods, and greater day-to-day reassurance—benefits many teachers (and learners) appreciate when life gets busy.

Calm, comfort and stress relief

Interacting with pets has been associated with lower stress and improved mood, with studies exploring hormonal pathways such as cortisol (stress) and oxytocin (bonding). Even brief, informal contact can feel soothing—think gentle purring beside your laptop between sessions

We explore these themes further in our Mental Health & Resilience ESL Series (covering phrasal verbs, collocations, and idioms). It’s designed to help students talk about stress, emotions, and coping strategies with more confidence.

Routine and a sense of purpose

Feeding, walks, and play add healthy structure to the day. That rhythm—particularly helpful when you work from home—can anchor focus and lift energy, which often spills over into more patient, present teaching.

Connection and conversation

A pet in the background is a natural ice-breaker. Many teachers find it softens first-lesson nerves and invites authentic small talk before diving into the lesson proper. Campus and workplace programmes with therapy animals report similar effects: lower perceived stress and an easier sense of belonging.

If you’d like to bring this idea into your classroom, try our Pet Benefits ESL Lesson. It’s a gentle, video-based resource that helps learners practise language around companionship, connection, and wellbeing.

If you can’t have a pet

You can still enjoy some of the benefits: spend time with friends’ animals, volunteer locally, or simply build more nature and movement into your week—each is linked with better mental health.

Another great complement is our Natural Spaces & Mental Health ESL Lesson, which shows how even small connections with nature can lower stress and boost resilience.

A personal note from my desk (and cats)

When a tail drifts through frame, we all smile. I’ve noticed lighter check-ins, warmer conversations, and a kinder tempo to the hour. I don’t “use” the cats in lessons; they just remind us we’re humans learning together—which, for me, is the heart of good teaching.

Useful reads

• Mental Health Foundation: Pets and mental health—benefits, considerations, and alternatives if ownership isn’t possible.

• PetMD: Overview of how pets can impact mental health, with links to current research.

• HABRI: Research hub on the human–animal bond (anxiety, depression, loneliness, and more).

🐾 Ready to explore the lighter side of wellbeing with your students? Start with our Pet Benefits ESL Lesson — a feel-good resource that gets learners talking about companionship, connection, and health.

For deeper classroom conversations, check out our Mental Health & Resilience Series (covering phrasal verbs, collocations, and idioms) and Natural Spaces & Mental Health ESL Lesson. Together, they give your students the words to discuss how people cope, connect, and stay well.