Dog Owners Stay Away From Finland

Various studies that suggest that dog owners have lower blood pressure or report fewer doctor visits and better mental health. Well, not in Finland. Leena K. Koivusilta and Ansa Ojanlatva, two researchers at the University of Turku, looked through data collected in a health survey of 21,101 Finns. They found that the pet owners looked, if anything, sicker than pet-free people. Pet owners were more likely to suffer from illnesses that included high blood pressure, high cholesterol, ulcers, depression and kidney disease. They smoked more (though drank less) than people who did not own pets. Dog owners were also fatter. In sum, in Finland, pet owners tended to be poorer, less educated and older, and those factors, rather than pets, probably explain the health disparity. The study information can be found here.

Inotherwords, don't take your pet to Finland because you will lose your money and education and get fat to combat the cold. But Helinski is beautiful. Weigh your options carefully.