November is National Adopt A Senior Pet Month–a month dedicated to helping older pets find loving forever homes. Shelters and rescues across the country hope those looking to adopt a new furry friend will consider adding a senior pet to the family this month. If you care about sweet senior animals, help spread the word throughout November. We can help older pets find homes together.
Many people walk into a shelter or scour a rescue’s website hoping to adopt a new puppy or kitten, completely overlooking the perfectly adoptable older dogs and cats in kennels and cages in their search. In many cases, the absolute most difficult group of homeless pets to place are older dogs and cats.
There are plenty of benefits to selecting an older pet over a younger one. Because senior pets are typically calmer and less energetic than puppies and kittens, it’s easier to teach them new tricks. In fact, many senior pets are already pros at performing basic commands. Their low-key natures can also make them ideal for households with children.
Adopters who add a senior pet to the family often get an entirely different level of satisfaction from the adoption experience. You are truly saving a life that someone else turned away from. Senior pets have so much love and compassion still to share, and they make the most amazing companions.
Bringing an older pet home from the shelter or rescue can have its own unique challenges though. Sometimes, because the pet is at an advanced age, there can be some extra health issues to consider.
Owning a senior pet is not necessarily ‘cheap.’ They need regular vet care to ensure that they keep their good health, and may need dental care and preventative vet care like blood work.
But that, by no means, should deter someone from adopting a senior pet. Depending on breed, lifestyle, and existing health issues, a senior dog or cat can still have plenty of healthy and happy years to give as your loving companion.