Studies have found that having a pet early in life protects from allergies later on. Researchers at University of Gothenburg, Sweden also looked at children who grew up with more than one pet in their home to see if more animals increased immunity. They found, it did! Kids who grew up on a farm, for example, rarely developed allergies; having multiple pets is like living on a “mini-farm”, with lots of exposure to allergens.
They also ruled out that the data was because families with allergies didn't have pets. Instead, it is likely because pets carry microbes that stimulate the human immune system, therefore those children don’t become allergic. Spending time with other children and being outdoors in early life also seem to have a protective effect.
