Draft Intro and Thesis

Pets are everywhere. Throughout the United States millions of homes have pets. Pet is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as “any animal domesticated or tamed kept as a favorite or treated with indulgence.” In fact pet owning decreases heart rate and blood pressure, as well as extends the life expectancy of coronary and other patients in hospitals. Pets are now being used for therapy of patients within nursing homes, hospitals, and schools and are proving to be a huge benefit for these patients.