So, Christmas was a cracker and New Year was a blast, right? But sadly the festivities are now over and there’s not a lot to look forward to except that ubiquitous January diet and going back to work… oh joy.

However, recent research has shown that something as simple as inviting a pet into your life can be much better for your health than a thousand detox diets or a month of regular gym visits. Owning a pet has been proven to reduce anxiety, lowers blood pressure, boost immunity, fight allergies and if you’re looking for love in 2016 a pet could even help you find that perfect date.

Image by Dominic Morel on freeimages.com

And it might be easier than you think to adopt a pet. The best way to start is to contact your local animal rescue centre (a list of Gwynedd centres is below) and see which animals they have available. Dogs and cats are the most common pet available for re-homing, but sometimes more exotic animals crop up like reptiles, birds and small mammals like hamsters and rabbits.

Most animal rescue centres now have lists of pets up for adoption on their website, so have a look to see if there is a suitable animal. Don’t forget to take into consideration your family, work and lifestyle and read all the information available about each pet – the rescue centres will often post advice about whether a pet is good with other animals or children, for example.

The next step is to go and meet the team at the rescue centre – they will assess your suitability for adopting a pet, as well as that of your home. And finally – meet your new pet and take him home for lots of cuddles and happy times. It’s a win-win situation all round really!

Local animal rehoming centres where you can adopt a pet in Gwynedd and Snowdonia include:

• Snowdonia Animal Sanctuary, Llanrwst. www.snowdoniaanimalsanctuary.co.uk
• Freshfields Animal Rescue Centre, Caernarfon. www.freshfieldsrescue.org.uk
• Merlin Animal Rescue, St Asaph. www.merlinanimalrescue.co.uk
• PAWS, Harlech. 01766 780765

Image by Rhett Nicholson on freeimages.com