WANT A HEALTHIER BABY? Get A Dog Or Cat. “Infants who repeatedly come into contact with dogs and cats during the first year of their life are less likely to suffer from respiratory tract symptoms or infections, according to a study published in the journal Pediatrics on July 9. The research suggests pet owners are more likely to have healthy children than non-pet owners, because the children of pet owners are exposed to communities of useful bacteria which pets carry and which help children develop their own important microbiologic cultures.”