For those of you who have pets, do they help when you're depressed, manic?

My kitty enjoys eating (like a dog, she hoovers food) and snuggling. When she's feeling snuggly, she does help me a bit when I'm down (not so much with all-out depression, but it's something). Not much help with mania, though, I'm too far gone to enjoy her attempts at snuggles.

Does your/do your pets help you when in an episode, or when just feeling down?