Yahoo! News reports that a new study supports the theory that growing up with a pet trains the immune system to be less reactive to potential allergy triggers. The study found that pet owners have a one-third lower risk of allergies than their petless peers. Of course, people who are prone to allergies are less likely to own pets in the first place; however, this new study in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology suggests that this ‘selective avoidance’ does not fully account for the reason why pet owners have less allergic disease.

The study also suggests that people who develop allergic respiratory problems tend to keep the pets they already have. Allergic individuals can avoid pet alleries via allergen avoidance with allergy relief bedding, HEPA air purifiers, HEPA vacuums, and special pet allergy relief products.