While the Adopt a Senior Pet national holiday officially falls in November, we at Daily Paws feel any time of year is the best time to adopt a mature dog or an older cat. Aside from showing extreme compassion for these pets of a certain age, there are a few key reasons why adopting a senior pet is a wonderful decision.
Jennifer L. Pease is the president and co-founder of Senior Pet and Animal Rescue in Pittsburgh. She says the number one reason to adopt a senior pet is they're incredibly adorable. Well, we don't need any more convincing! However, she gives some more key points that will help you feel confident in filling out that adoption application.
When does a pet enter their senior years? It depends a great deal on the breed, their size, and general health. Overall, most dogs begin this phase of life between the ages of 6 and 8, and most cats between the ages of 10 and 12. So they've been around for a while and know some things, such as being house trained and litter box trained, Pease says. Senior dogs are also likely to know basic cues and be leash-trained, and older cats adapt well to their owners' routines.
Adoptable older pets are also great choices for seniors and retirees, as they don't often require as much exercise as scampering puppies and kittens usually do. However, they're still eager for daily playtime and cuddle sessions, making them engaging companions.
RELATED: We Love This: Seniors Receive Extra Support Adopting Rescue Animals
"The personality of an older dog or cat is already set, so you have more clear indicators about whether they'll be a good fit for your family and lifestyle," Pease says.
Sadly, many senior pets are surrendered because their owners no longer have the ability or the funds to care for them. People who foster senior animals notice how quickly pets spring back to their natural selves in a home environment compared to the many unknowns of a shelter.
No matter what qualities you desire in a pet—whether it's a dog who's a great playmate for children or an affectionate cat—talk to the shelter staff about whether you can foster an older animal for a few weeks. This gives you an opportunity to get to know one another, and helps provide the pet with a loving home with you or another family looking to adopt.
If a senior pet could make an adoption wish list, simply "a human to love" would be at the top. When nurtured in a safe environment, all animals—including seniors—thrive.
You can bond with your new (old) dog by offering him comfort, teaching him new tricks, and finding activities he enjoys. Building a relationship with your cat requires similar steps—give her playtime, learn to read her body language, and give her toys and cat trees to make her feel at home.
"There are many reasons to adopt a senior pet, but owners should always consider the long-term care required for all domestic animals, especially seniors," Pease says. "With the pet overpopulation crisis and current animal medical care staff shortage, coupled with an ongoing pandemic, the need for safe, stable homes continues to rise."
She adds that many shelters and animal rescue organizations find it demanding and almost impossible to adopt out the record number of intakes they have and are responding to. So, by adopting a senior pet, you ensure that a vulnerable animal that may already be more difficult to place finds a permanent, loving family.
RELATED: Senior Dog Belky Was Abandoned On a Highway Unable to Walk. Now She's Adopted and Healthier Than Ever
Some shelters like Pease's focus solely on rescuing and rehoming senior pets. A few around the country include:
Forever Loved Pet Sanctuary (Scottsdale, Ariz.)
Muttville Senior Dog Rescue (San Francisco)
Old Dog Haven (Oak Harbor, Wash.)
Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary (Mt. Juliet, Tenn.)
Senior Dog Sanctuary (Severn, Md.)
St. Louis Senior Dog Project (St. Louis)
The Sanctuary for Senior Dogs (Cleveland)
You can also go to the Petfinder site and do a senior search.
Always try to learn the history of a senior pet before committing to adoption so you can work with a veterinarian and maybe even an animal behaviorist. This ensures your new older pet's best health moving forward.
Although we are seeing higher cases within the gay community, monkeypox is not just exclusive to men who have sex with other men.
Off a busy Boston Hollow Road inside her living room sits 90-year-old Beadie Sapp.
The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue is warning business owners about scammers who are targeting small businesses.
Jalaia Ford and Journi Jones were both less than a year old
Jul. 22—TURNER — Amanda Hinkley, an emergency room nurse, took her three children to Bear Pond Beach Thursday afternoon in a bid to beat the heat and have some fun. It all changed in just a moment. During an interview on Friday, she said she saw a young man carrying a girl through the water, yelling for help. Hinkley rushed to assist as they reached the shore. "I saw a purple child," she said. ...
Jul. 22—AUBURN — Toby McAllister doesn't look like he's 35 years old. Sitting patiently Wednesday evening in the back room of the 1800 Club at 34 Court St., he has Eli and Jed Allen apply a fake old-man beard to his face with glue and gob whitening gel all over his head. "I feel like an old man now," McAllister said. The musician is recording a video for his song "Coast to Coast." The script ...
Jul. 22—NORWAY — An algae bloom on Hobbs Pond prompted town officials to place warning signs at the pond earlier this week, Town Manager Dennis Lajoie said at Thursday's selectmen meeting. While the pond is not closed to swimmers, the signs warn visitors that the "algae can irritate those with sensitive skin" and to not swallow the water. It further warns people to keep their pets out of the ...
Jul. 22—LEWISTON — In an effort to reduce transportation disruptions and equalize class time, elementary schools will start and end at two separate times beginning this fall. Montello and Connors schools will start class at 8:15 a.m. and end at 2:45 p.m., while Farwell, McMahon and Geiger schools will start at 9 a.m. and end at 3:30 p.m. The start and end time for Lewiston middle and high ...
Las Vegas, Nevada, July 22, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc. (Nasdaq: CPSS) (“CPS” or the “Company”) today announced that it will hold a conference call on Tuesday, July 26, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. ET to discuss its second quarter 2022 operating results. Those wishing to participate can pre-register for the conference call at the following link https://register.vevent.com/register/BIca2d8dafe11e4a0eab6c314d9b398f1b. Registered participants will receive an email containing con
The former world championship won a quarter-final classic against Portugal’s Jose De Sousa.
Jul. 22—Some of the area's fastest high school track athletes are going a longer distance to try and put themselves on the map. On July 25, the USATF National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships will take place in Sacramento, California, and a slew of area athletes are making the cross-country trek to compete in the meet. Makenna Drouin, coming off of a standout high school outdoor ...
Jul. 22—AUBURN — With no goalies currently on the 2022-23 NCDC team roster, the Twin City Thunder are taking a long look at the position this weekend. The organization is hosting a goalie-specific three-day camp involving 16 goalies ages 16 to 20 at Norway Savings Bank Arena. For the past couple of years, they hosted a one-day camp before the start of main camp in August. "It gives the goalies ...
Social media is in a frenzy to figure out the back story behind J-Lo's Alexander McQueen dress she wore the day she married Ben Affleck.
The ex-president was "pouring gasoline on the fire" during the Capitol attack, the inquiry hears.
Jul. 22—CUMBERLAND — Kennesaw State football coach Brian Bohannon said his team is one of firsts. The Owls first took the field in 2015, won their first game and won their first conference championship a couple of years later. Since then, there have not been a whole lot of firsts to have — until now. "We've only played seven seasons of football." Bohannon said Friday during the inaugural ASUN ...
Children are at an elevated risk for severe monkeypox disease, but both children were "doing well".
Knowing what he knows now, here's the advice he would he give a young Hamilton just starting out in Formula 1 back in 2007.
TBH, I'm just glad the real creator of Batman finally got the credit he deserved!View Entire Post ›
Jul. 22—ALEXANDRIA — Llamas limbo and leap their way across the ring, having to go lower or higher with each round. Leading them through their paces are members of the 4-H Moonlight Llama Club, tugging on their reins and encouraging them along. The animals are truly put to the test when they participate in obstacle courses and relay races, displaying their dexterity. In the Moonlight Llama ...
GILBERT, Ariz., July 22, 2022--National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), the global leader in fitness education and certifications, is excited to announce that Rick Richey, an NASM Master Instructor, host of the award-winning NASM-CPT Podcast, and owner of Independent Training Spot, has been named Personal Trainer of the Year at the 2022 IDEA World Fitness Awards.