A new global survey of over 30,000 pet owners, conducted by Mars and Calm, found that the majority of pet owners, some 58 per cent, prefer to spend time with their pet when they are feeling stressed than with their partners, family, or even children and friends. Additionally, 83 per cent of people surveyed believe their pet has positively impacted their mental wellbeing.

This got me thinking about how much we give to our animals in terms of time and cost, but what we get back in return from them, and how to quantify that.

Research has shown that touching your pet by stroking or grooming can impact your oxytocin levels, (the hormone related to pair bonding) reduces blood pressure and gives you an overall sense of calm.

It is well known in science that people who own animals tend to be more active, and even in some cases healthier.

Studies show that children raised in homes with animals have a lower incidence of asthma, for example.

The interactions we have with our pets serve to interrupt our daily chores and routines.

I say this as my dog is nudging my elbow and laying her head lovingly in my lap as a reminder to take a break and pay her some attention.

It’s amazing how many times cats will interrupt screen time by walking between you and the screen. It is as if they know you need a rest. (Well, maybe they are just hungry.)

But whatever the reason, they do make you stop what you’re doing and refocus somewhere else, which is one approach used by therapists when dealing with stress in their patients.

But are we expecting too much of our pets to be our emotional gurus when we are stressed out?

I have certainly treated animals in my career who have suffered physical symptoms due to an unhappy household, and it has taken dealing with the stress or grief of the owner to really be able to help the animal.

Pets frequently take on the behavioural traits of the owner, anxious owners tend to have anxious pets, loud owners tend to have noisy dogs, for instance, as our pets act as a mirror to our own behaviour.

If you are relaxed and carefree on a walk, you often find the dog is too.

Whereas if you are distracted, on your phone or otherwise in a bad mood, the dog will sense that and respond likewise.

Horses are masters at reflecting your body language, so think twice before getting on your horse in a temper, it won’t end well.

What is clear is that our animals enhance our lives in many ways, physically and emotionally.

They don’t always know why you are stressed out, just that you are and they try to distract you from it.

Maybe we should listen to them more and take that break, go for the walk, or just sit down for a cuddle with them. It will very likely be good for both of you.

• Lucy Richardson graduated from Edinburgh University in 2005. She started CedarTree Vets in August 2012 with her husband, Mark. They live at the practice with their two children, Ray and Stella, and their dog, two cats and two guinea pigs. She is also the FEI national head veterinarian for Bermuda