Living with one’s pets could create an early exposure to allergens, inducing immune tolerance where the immune system stops flaring up in response to allergens, confirms a recent research from the University of Copenhagen. The study, published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, observed that having a pet in the first years of your life also does not increase your risk of developing cat or dog-specific allergic sensitization and this protective effect could be the result of being exposed to cats’ or dogs’ microbiota.  However, the study author Angela Pinot de Moira, cautioned that the ownership should be avoided if the child develops sensitization to cats and dogs, as there might be an increased risk of developing asthma.