Harrell and Harrell Sponsors WJXT’s Critter Corner, Pet Project

Looking for a new friend? Harrell and Harrell is partnering with WJXT to help boost adoptions of shelter pets in the Jacksonville area. Jacksonville-based personal injury law firm Harrell and Harrell is a proud new sponsor of two WJXT TV news show segments designed to boost adoption of shelter pets. WJXT’s Critter Corner, a segment of The Morning Show, features dogs and cats available for adoption at the Jacksonville Humane Society. Similarly, 4’s Pet Project, part of The Morning Show‘s Saturday edition, features adoptable pets awaiting new homes at Jacksonville’s Animal Care & Protective Services.

Shelter statistics show that upward of 2.7 million healthy, adoptable dogs and cats are euthanized each year in the United States simply because shelters are unable to house all of the pets surrendered by their owners, picked up as strays or confiscated from suspected neglect and abuse situations. Meanwhile, purchasing of pets at pet stores may actually support puppy mills, where breeding dogs often live in harsh, unsanitary conditions with little or no shade, exercise, veterinarian care or human interaction. With each adopted from a shelter, two lives are saved – the adopted pet and the one who will now have a spot at the shelter vacated by your new furry friend. Plus, you’ll reap benefits, too.

Studies show that pet ownership offers multiple health boons including:

1. An immunity boost: Studies show that exposure to pets at an early age can help boost a child’s immune system, reducing the risk of developing allergies, asthma and eczema.

1. Stress relief: In a survey by market research firm Mindlab International, 55 percent of respondents reported feeling more relaxed after spending time with their pets. Plus, 44 percent said they worried less about common issues like finances and job security than did non-pet owners.

1. Heart health: A study of some 4,500 adults found that cat ownership correlated to a 40 percent lower risk of suffering a fatal heart attack. Simply petting a cat can help lower blood pressure in minutes.

1. Weight loss: Researchers at the University of Missouri-Columbia found that people who walk dogs exercise more consistently and enjoy better fitness results than people who walk with a human companion.

1. Healing boost: Medical doctors increasingly are recommending that patients who live alone adopt or foster pets. They cite research and anecdotal experience suggesting that pets often help motivate patients to more closely follow physicians’ instructions and to give better effort when dealing with serious medical conditions such as cancer.

Ready to meet your new four-legged family member? Harrell and Harrell urges you to head to the Jacksonville Humane Society or Jacksonville’s Animal Care & Protective Services, where dozens of healthy, hopeful dogs and cats await safe and loving new homes.