November is National Adopt a Senior Pet Month — a month dedicated to helping older pets find loving forever homes. If you’ve been thinking about adding a four-legged-friend to your family, consider opening your home and your heart to an older dog or cat in need. While small kittens and puppies may be cute, older pets are just as loving and loyal! There are numerous reasons that make older pets a great option for families looking for a pet.
The Benefits of Adopting Senior Pets
Since senior pets are fully grown, you’ll be immediately aware of important information like personality type and grooming requirements, making it easier to choose the perfect pet for your family. 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, so long as kids know how to gently interact with older animals. Many people find themselves unprepared for the energy and needs of a young pet. But a sweet senior moves at a much more manageable pace. They’re less demanding and usually fit in well in many kinds of households, including apartments.
Senior Pets Are Easier To Handle
Some adopters of younger pets are unprepared for the hard work it can be to housetrain a new puppy or kitten. You have to spend copious amounts of time training a new puppy to do their business outdoors or teach a kitten to remember where the litter box is. But older pets have often come to the shelter after years of living in homes, so they’re usually already housetrained, saving you from weeks, months, or in some cases even years of stress. Understanding the personality of an animal is key to finding the perfect match for your family and for that homeless pet. While young puppies and kittens are still developing their personalities, you’ll know right away whether a senior dog is a snuggle-bug or a senior cat is more of an independent spirit.
Senior Pets Have Trouble Finding Homes
Many people walk into a shelter or view 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. It is a sad fact that senior pets are often the last to be adopted from shelters, putting them at an increased risk for euthanasia. When you adopt a senior pet, you’re not only welcoming a lifetime of love into your home, you’re also saving a precious life. 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.
What Do You Get When You Adopt A Senior Pet?
Adopters who add a senior pet to the family often get an entirely different level of satisfaction from the adoption experience. When you adopt a senior, you’re saving a life. In return, you’ll get lots of love from an amazing companion. That said, bringing an older pet home from the shelter or rescue can have its own unique challenges. Sometimes, because the pet is at an advanced age, there can be some extra health issues to consider. They’ll need regular vet care, preventative care, and dental care to stay in good health. 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.