Actress Sydney Sweeney says her rescue dog, Tank, is more than just a companion to her. She’s important to her overall health, specifically her mental health.
In a recent interview, Sydney outlined how important her dog is to her overall happiness. This is a great reminder of how important these family members are. Here’s what she said.
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Speaking with People, Sydney shared some details about her bond with her rescue pup, Tank.
Related: Animal Therapy Can Work Wonders for Your Mental Health—Here’s What to Know About It
Sydney loves her dog, and she’s been an instrumental influence in her life.
“My dog, Tank, really is so important in my own self-care process,” she said. “Whether it is just playing with her, taking her to the dog park, or taking her on a walk, it just lets me take a moment and unplug from everything else.”
According to an Ask Me Anything video with Elle UK in 2022, the actress was asked about the meaning behind the name of her dog, Tank. And she said it was a very funny story.
“I grew up with German Shepherds my entire life, and I was heartbroken when one passed away when I was about 13 and a half,” she said. “We went a few years without a dog, and I just felt like our family wasn’t complete without one. I really wanted one.”
She went to visit her great-grandmother, who loves rescue dogs, and they visited a local shelter. “We were at one, there to play, feed the dogs, and give toys. There was this little tiny baby, and she was adorable, so I took her. I was like, ‘I’m gonna save this little thing,’” she continued.
“I drove home, put her on my bed, and went into my mom and dad’s room. I was about 16 and a half, 17 years old. I said, ‘Guys, I need to tell you something. Can you come to my room?’ My mom was furious with me, but my dad said, ‘Oh, she’s so cute.’ My mom insisted, ‘This is your responsibility. We’re not helping you. You have to learn how to take care of your own actions,’” Sydney added.
And the funny thing about Tank’s name is that she’s not a big dog. “I named her Tank because I wanted her to grow into a tank, a big, huge dog. I ended up taking Tank to school with me because she was so small, I couldn’t leave her,” Sydney joked.
“I would just bring her to school with me and hope no one noticed. Eventually, I got caught, but she was so cute that she kind of became the school mascot.”
Science shows that dogs are great for our mental health
We know that having pets is good for our health, and science backs this up when it comes to our mental health.
According to Axios, studies have shown that having a dog can help boost our mood, reduce our body’s release of stress hormones, allow us to get better sleep, experience fewer headaches, boost our immune system, and can even boost our heart health.
In 2021, the University of Toledo published a study that shows “that emotional support animals can provide quantifiable benefits to individuals with serious mental illness who are experiencing depression, anxiety and loneliness.”
In the study, participants were connected with new pets, and they had their mental health symptoms checked, including anxiety, depression, and loneliness.
The researchers checked on the participants over the year, asking how they were doing. “The biomarker findings, along with the standardized depression, anxiety and loneliness surveys, and qualitative interviews together suggest insights into how emotional support animals may help reduce symptoms and loneliness associated with chronic mental illness,” the study noted.
“We can’t make any generalizations or big sweeping claims, but the findings are pretty straightforward for this particular group of people.”
