Avigayil Brown has been an animal lover her whole life. "I grew up having a lot of pets: dogs, cats, bunnies, fish, birds, and a horse," says Brown, who's 24 and lives in Brooklyn, NY.

She has dealt with depression since she was 12, but it wasn't until she faced a very tough round of symptoms that she began to understand how pets helped her feel well.

When Brown moved into her own apartment, she was depressed and had trouble sleeping. After she adopted two rescue kittens, she started sleeping better -- and feeling better, too.

"When I was lying in my bed, my cats would come and snuggle with me. If I got out of bed just to go to the bathroom, my cats followed me. It was very calming," she says.

Brown isn't alone. In a recent survey by the Human-Animal Bond Research Institute, 74% of pet owners said having a pet improved their mental health.

Studies back this up and show that activities with animals help with symptoms of depression.