Senior pets can truly be golden adoptions.
Welcome to the Wonder Year. That’s what I call the first year spent with a young kitten or puppy. After coping with their endless energy, potty training, chewing and clawing, you wonder why you took on such a time-demanding task.
Don’t get me wrong. I adore kittens and puppies, My cat, Callie, now 14, was plucked from the streets of Miami as a pre-weaned kitten and seemed intent on carving her initials into my sofa before turning one. My former dog, Jazz, became a canine interior decorator extraordinaire who redid my living room carpet plus a few leather shoes before reaching his first birthday.
Young pets require lots of time, attention and training. Each day is a new adventure – or misadventure – depending on your viewpoint. Pet proofing the home is a must to keep electrical cords, chocolate candy, household cleaners and the kitchen garbage can out of paw’s reach. And don’t forget those post-midnight and pre-dawn potty trips out in the backyard for your whimpering pup or those surprise toe attacks while your snoozing by your feline honing her hunting skills.
That’s why I’m an advocate of the Golden Pet Rule: consider adopting a mature dog or cat at your local animal shelter or rescue group. My latest member to join my fur-filled house answers to the name Cleo, a miniature poodle-basset hound mix that we “guess” is about 6 years old. She easily blended into our family pack that includes Chipper, a 6-year-old golden retriever-husky mix and cats Callie, 14 and Murphy, 9.
There are advantages to opting to adopt a senior pet. Just ask Julie Bank, executive director at the North County Humane Society & SPCA, a shelter that serves Oceanside and Vista in southern California.
“Dogs five years or older tend to be much calmer,” says Bank. “You know what you’re getting – versus a mixed-breed puppy – and they tend to be easier to train because they are much more focused and the best part, they are usually housetrained. Older cats also tend to acclimate much easier and quicker.”
During recent visits to local shelters and their online web sites, I found quite a few mature-aged pets worthy of landing loving homes. At the North County Humane Society, I met Skippy, a 7-year-old Shepherd mix who displays an ageless playful but gentle nature. In Carlsbad at the San Diego County North Shelter, I discovered Francesca, an 8-year-old brown-striped tabby with emerald eyes. Visiting the Camp Pendleton Animal Shelter’s online site, I read the beckoning bios of a sweet orange-and-white cat aptly named Candy Corn (estimated to be 4) and Harvey, a 6-year-old Chihuahua who loves other dogs and playing fetching with a toy squirrel.
Regardless whether you adopt a senior or a youngster, do so with deliberation and not on
a whim. Jot down a checklist ahead of time that includes what you are looking for in a pet – say a couch lounger or a jogging buddy. Factor in pet care costs and make sure your potential adoptee meets any pet policies in your neighborhood, from your landlord or from your homeowners’ association.
Bring your family to the shelter and work with adoption counselors to help you narrow down your choices to a few dogs or cats who would make an ideal match. Sure, puppies and kittens put the “a” in adorable, but adult dogs and cats offer welcomed calmness. The choice is yours: opt for the Wonder Year’s challenges or embrace an ageless connection that is truly golden.
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