MCACC photo by Carla Walters
November is adopt a senior pet month
People may gush at the sight of puppies and kittens, but senior pets are an exciting find too. A pet in their golden years may just turn out to be gold in your heart!
Senior pets are likely to have spent at least some of their life in a loving home. Excuses as to why they are not still in a loving home range from mundane to sad. But they most certainly deserve a new loving home to live out their days. And, of course, some senior pets may never have known a stable or loving home, and that’s where you and I come in.
Top 10 reasons to adopt an older dog
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) has identified some excellent reasons to adopt a senior dog:
1. What you see is what you get. Older dogs are open books—from the start, you’ll know important things like their full-grown size, personality and grooming requirements. All this information makes it easier to pick the right dog and forge that instant love connection that will last a lifetime. If you’re not so into surprises, an older dog is for you!
2. Easy to train. Think you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? Hogwash! Older dogs are great at focusing on you—and on the task at hand—because they’re calmer than youngsters. Plus, all those years of experience reading humans can help them quickly figure out how to do what you’re asking.
3. Seniors are super-loving. One of the cool parts of our job is reading stories from people just like you who have opted to adopt. The emails we get from pet parents with senior dogs seem to all contain beautiful, heartfelt descriptions of the love these dogs give you—and those of you who adopted dogs already in their golden years told us how devoted and grateful they are. It's an instant bond that cannot be topped!
4. They're not a 24/7 job. Grownup dogs don’t require the constant monitoring puppies do, leaving you with more freedom to do your own thing. If you have young children, or just value your “me time,” this is definitely a bonus.
5. They settle in quickly. Older dogs have been around the block and already learned what it takes to get along with others and become part of a pack. They’ll be part of the family in no time!
6. Fewer messes. Your floors, shoes and furniture will thank you for adopting a senior pooch! Older dogs are likely to already be housetrained—and even if they’re not, they have the physical and mental abilities to pick it up really fast (unlike puppies). With their teething years far behind them, seniors also are much less likely to be destructive chewers.
7. You won't bit off more than you can chew. There are those who yearn for a doggie friend of their own, but hold back because they worry what might happen in their lives in the years to come. And they are wise to do so—a puppy or young dog can be anywhere from an 8- to 20-year responsibility, which is not appropriate for the very elderly or those with certain long-term future plans. Providing a loving home for a dog in her golden years is not a less serious commitment, but it can be a shorter one.
8. They enjoy easy livin'. Couch potato, know thyself! Please consider a canine retiree rather than a high-energy young dog who will run you ragged. Not that older dogs don’t require any exercise—they do—but they’re not going to need, or want, to run a marathon every day.
9. Save a life, be a hero. At shelters, older dogs are often the last to be adopted and the first to be euthanized. Saving an animal’s life offers an unparalleled emotional return on your investment, and you’ll feel the rewards every day you spend together.
10. They're cute!
Visit your local shelter...foster-rescue-adopt! See those waiting to be fostered, rescued, and adopted here: Available Dogs at Maricopa County Animal Care and Control and here: Dogs in need of homes at Western Arizona Humane Society.
If you are interested in adopting a senior dog, you might also take a look at Springerpaw Ranch. They rescue as many senior dogs as they can in an effort to give them a second chance.
Comments
As one who has adopted several so-called "senior" pets (they were somewhere between 6 - 10 years old when they came home), I can personally vouch for what wonderful dogs they are! And they are so grateful for a forever family to love and care for them.
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