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All pets are equally deserving of homes, and yet some animals spend longer than others waiting to be adopted. In stark contrast to younger pets (especially kittens and puppies), older pets have shockingly slow adoption rates. We can do something about this trend by encouraging others to consider sharing their lives and their homes with a sweet, seasoned pet. There are so many reasons to adopt a senior pet, and we’ve got some convincing ones below.

They Know Who They Are

Few could argue against the sweet, silly antics of fresh-faced kittens and puppies. And it’s a good thing they are cute, because their behavior can really make owners crazy sometimes! Senior pets, on the other hand, are relatively easy going. They know who they are, what they like, and are charmingly direct about how to get it. 

While senior pets can still have many years in front of them, their midnight zoomies might be in the past. Plus, they are less likely to escape and roam the neighborhood. What they focus on the most in their golden years is comfort and security. When you adopt a senior pet you have the opportunity to provide that in exchange for constant, enduring affection.

What You See, What You Get

There really aren’t many surprises when it comes to senior pets. Sure, there could be some wild cards regarding their physical health as they age (like all animals, humans included!), but most of the time shelters have a good amount of information on the animal’s previous living situation, lifestyle, and medical history. If they received quality care before being surrendered, abandoned, or separated, they may have many more quality years ahead.

Excellent Companionship

Young animals need time and attention to figure out their behavior and must learn how to fit in with their new people and other pets. While a senior pet will benefit from a slow, steady integration into their new set-up, once they have the routine down, they are good to go. Just point them in the direction of their bathroom, food bowl, and bed and they’re content. Add some attention, exercise, and affection, and they’re over the moon!

Save a Life

Senior pets end up in shelters for many reasons, none of which are their fault. Say, for example, they had to be surrendered because their owners died. They may have had a pretty sweet life up until then. Waking up in a shelter can be incredibly stressful, but when you adopt a senior pet, you’re affecting change on a larger level. Not only saving one life through adoption, you’re creating space at the shelter for another animal in need. 

Plus, a portion of your adoption fees go to pay for important shelter services designed to help other homeless pets.

Adopt a Senior Pet, Feel the Love

With time, patience, consistency,  and devotion, a newly adopted senior pet will eventually come around. Building trust and confidence together will convince them that their new home isn’t going anywhere.

Once your newly adopted senior pet gets settled, let us know how we can help. To ensure that the coming years will be as healthy as possible, we recommend setting up two wellness visits every year to screen for age-related illness.

If you have further questions or concerns about welcoming a senior pet into the fold, please give us a call at (210) 696-1700.