How pets help reduce election day stress and calm voters

Kelsey Dickerson, from the Arizona Humane Society, joined “Arizona Horizon” to discuss how pets can help calm voters.

Election anxiety can be a real thing to many people. However, having pets around can help calm election day stress and help calm voters’ nerves.

“When you see an adorable little pup like this,” Dickerson said, “especially after, you know, what they’ve been through prior to being rescued, it definitely brightens spirits and helps with that anxiety.”

On election day, the Arizona Humane Society takes dogs to polling places to interact with voters. The pups come with two goals in mind: To lower blood pressure for people waiting in long lines, and to hopefully get some dogs adopted.

“We just want to make sure that we come there, that we support our fellow constituents,” Dickerson said. “No matter what side of the aisle that you are on, we can all agree that puppies are great.”

This program is also important as it helps socialize the dogs before adoption.

“But if you are in the market, you know, if you’ve already put in your ballot,” Dickerson said, “of course you can always come to the Arizona Humane Society, get a puppy, kitten or even critter cuddles by some of our adoptables.”