Amanda Seyfried Describes the Important Impact Her Rescue Dog 'Finn' Has on Her Life

Mean Girls star Amanda Seyfried, age 38, says her adorable Australian Shepherd rescue dog named Finn changed her life for the better.

The Mama Mia star shared in an exclusive with People Magazine what Finn means to her.

People magazine has the exclusive and says, "I don't know what my twenties would've looked like without Finn. I really don't know," continues the Mamma Mia! star, who recently partnered with Synchrony ’s CareCredit and Pets Best insurance. "I don't know how I would've navigated Hollywood. I mean, I stayed out of a lot of trouble, I think, because I had that guy to come home to."

Related: Sydney Sweeney Praises Her Rescue Dog 'Tank' for Improving Her Mental Health

The actress went on to say, I was just like, 'I'm going to keep him safe,' and then he just ended up keeping me safe," she continues. "I had struggled with a lot of anxiety and I have OCD, and my twenties were just hard in general, like anybody's twenties are hard, so I think he grounded me in a way that nothing else could have."

It's so touching when famous people open up about their rescue dogs and hopefully it encourages other people to visit a local shelter to add their own pup to their family.

How Dogs Help Our Mental Health

Ask any pet parent and they will tell you our dogs provide us with unconditional love and companionship, but they also offer numerous other ways to support our mental health. Just the act of petting even a random dog can help - the levels of the stress hormone cortisol drops and stress hormones are reduced after interacting with any pup, not even your own pup, after five to twenty minutes. Petting or cuddling a dog can create a sense of calm and reduce feelings of anxiety, which is one reason schools use therapy dogs on campus, especially to help students during stressful times like finals.

Dogs offer unconditional love and companionship, helping to make us feel less lonely. This can be super helpful for those who feel isolated, as being around a dog can provide a sense of connection and purpose.

We all know that taking a walk and getting some Vitamin D can help with our mental health, and those of us who are dog parents know that dogs need to be walked forcing us to get exercise and get those endorphins flowing. Walking your dog also connects you to other pet parents walking their own dogs which can help with loneliness.

Feeding your pup, walking your pup, training your dog and playing with your dog all provide you with a sense of purpose, which can help your own mental health by having empathy for another living being.

Our dogs are there when we are happy, when we are sad, when we need a non-judgmental listening buddy and a soft friend to cuddle with. They're called man's best friend for a reason.