When you come home after work from a stressful day at the office, who do you say hello to first? Your husband/wife or the animal that is there greeting you at the door? And who is truly more excited to see you? My answer for both of those is my dogs. They can’t wait to see me when I get home. As soon as they hear the beep of my car locking, I can hear them crying and barking inside just waiting for me to open the door. When it comes to animals being a good source of stress relief, all animals are considered. Especially in today’s world where we are stuck at home more than most of us would like. Having a small (or large) creature at home that you can talk to about anything with no judgment is priceless. There are multiple studies available online that show having an office bet helps with the productiveness of the staff. Even if they are spending some of their time giving affection to these animals, they are still being more productive than they were before.

As someone who is seriously addicted to dogs and is unable to walk past one without passing the time of day, I don't entirely agree. Animals are undoubtedly stress relieving but as they also come with a responsibility for their care they can, in turn,cause stress. If a much loved animal is ill the distress is immeasurable and in turn because their lives are generally so much shorter than ours we have to cope with their loss too

**TL;DR - I disagree with this opinion. I believe that the best stress relief is the communication with your human loved ones because the connection you have with them cannot be established to the same extent between you and an animal**. According to Hal Herzog, people seem to care more about animals (primarily their own, but also specific animal categories) than they care about humans. I believe this has largely to do with the disillusionment many people experience because of humans and the bad relationships that often add more stress than calmness. Based on 'a survey by the American Animal Hospital Association', Herzog writes, '40 percent of married female dog owners reported they received more emotional support from their pet than from their husband or their kids'. I think it is because of dysfunctional relationships that we even compare the two. I really love the fact that we have become much more sensitive towards establishing a relationship with animals. However, there is no way that the connection with family and friends can be compared to the connection with an animal. Humans are social creatures and their interaction is primarily based on shared species, language, shared experiences and goals. In terms of deep and healthy relationships, I believe family and / or friends to be the best stress relief. Works Cited Herzog, Hal, 'Why People Care More About Pets Than Other Humans' (2015) <https://www.wired.com/2015/04/people-care-pets-humans/> [accessed 9 February 2021].

**TL;DR I disagree because whilst I think animals can provide stress relief, I think meditation is the best form of stress relief.** I love animals, they are great. They can definitely act as a good form of stress relief. However, animals also require a lot of care and attention. You have to ensure that you have enough finances to cover their food / medicinal needs. Dogs require lots of walks. They deserve a lot of attention. Owning an animal is a lot of commitment and therefore is probably not the best form of stress relief. I would argue that the best form of stress relief is activities such as meditation / deep breathing techniques. Meditation is proven to reduce stress as it reduces the inflammation response caused by stress. It also aids in dealing with anxiety, enhances self awareness, improves sleep and can decrease blood pressure. Meditation requires a lot less commitment and responsibility that comes with owning an animal. Anyone can practise meditation any time, anywhere; therefore I think it is the best form of stress relief. WORKS CITED: Thorpe Matthew, '12 Science Based Benefits of meditation' (27 October 2020) https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/12-benefits-of-meditation#9.-Improves-sleep

**TL;DR - I believe walking is the best stress relief as it combines physical actions known to relieve stress with nature** Walking as a form of cardiovascular exercise has been found to link to the releasing of endorphins into the body. An increase of endorphins can reduce the stress hormones and alleviate mild depression. Regular exercise and regular walks, according to WebMD, can release these 'feel-good' endorphins and improve mood, stress and overall self-esteem. Furthering this, walking outside and in nature has been linked to stress reduction. A study from the University of Edinburgh has found that those who can regularly visit green areas and walk in nature have a significant decrease in the amount of cortisol released (hormone released in response to stress.) Furthering this, when walking individuals can be accompanied by friends and family to further improve stress by combining a variety of different stress reducing steps. Resources: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/national-walking-day-stress-relief-tips_n_2992972#:~:text=Walking%20Boosts%20Stress%2DBusting%20Endorphins,%2Desteem%2C%20according%20to%20WebMD. https://phys.org/news/2012-02-green-spaces-stress-jobless.html https://www.verywellfit.com/walking-for-your-mind-and-spirit-3432871 https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/exercising-to-relax https://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/exercise-depression#1