I was reading a book the other day when I came across some information about the lifespan of dairy cows. On average, a modern (confined) dairy cow lives only 42 months. On the other hand, cows on pastures live about 12 to 15 years. The reasons why confinement dairy cows live so short is because selective breeding and feeding food with added growth hormones forces the cows to produce more milk -- at the cost of lifespan. Another negative factor is standing long hours chained on concrete floors without having freedom to roam around or lie down in the pasture.

The fact that confinement dairy cows live only 3 to 4 years disturbs me. At the same time it reminds me how living environments can affect each animal's physical and emotional health, and ultimately their lifespan.

We, pet owners, can do many things to create good living environments for our precious pets to help them enjoy good health and longevity. It can be nutritionally balanced food, daily exercise, less stressful living condition at home, less chemical use, regular checkups with your trustworthy veterinarian, good grooming, and lots of love and affection, and so on.