When considering adopting an animal, more often than not, people tend to steer towards the younger animals, so our more senior pets spend longer looking for their forever home. It seems the main worries people have when adopting an older pet is the financial investment, time and care or perhaps the myth that you can’t teach old dogs new tricks, comes in to play! In actual fact there are huge positives to adopting an older animal and they can bring just as much joy into your lives as a puppy or young dog!
Older animals still have a good life ahead of them and lots of love and affection to offer.
We hope our 10 benefits below help our senior sweethearts find forever homes that little bit sooner!
1. Just as Lovable – You may think that older cats/dogs likes to snooze all day long and don’t show as much affection, however this is not the case at all, in fact they still have loads of love and companionship to give – just as much as their puppy counterparts!
2. Less Training Needed – In most cases older dogs have already received and mastered a good level of training, and understand the basics such as Sit, Stay, Down, and are usually house trained. That being said you can teach an old dogs new tricks, in fact in most cases easier to train as unlike puppies they are able to concentrate for longer periods of time, which means training them to your lifestyle can be much easier.
3. First Time Pet – You might not think it but older dogs/cats can actually make great first time pets, as they require less hands on care than a young puppy or kitten. Older dogs are typically less destructive and require less supervision. Similarly with cats, the more mature moggies tend to get up to less mischief than kittens or young cats. In most cases older animals have already been socialised within a home environment and may adapt to your routine more quickly.
4. Calmer Demeanour – Older animals tend to have a calmer nature and this can be beneficial for families with younger children, or for elderly people looking for companionship from an animal. Most golden oldies require less exercise, this however is very dependent on the breed, some dogs still have a lot of go in them even in their senior years! Though more often than not senior cats/dogs do tend to have a more placid and relaxed demeanour.
5. Fully Developed – Opting for a puppy can often leave you with a number of concerns about how big they are going to get or what their personality is going to be like. With an older dog/cat what you see is what you get! The animal has already grown to their full size and developed all their unique little quirks, so you know what you are getting right from the start!
6. Great Companions – Golden oldies can make great companions, as they do seem to value their sleep more as they get older and are less active than what a puppy or kitten. This means you have more time for cuddles and strokes – which is great if you want an animal to be around a lot of the time.
7. Just as Deserving – Some people may think that older animals that end of up in our care have been brought to us due to having behavioural issues, however in most cases it isn’t due to any fault of the animal but more a change of circumstances in the owners life e.g marital breakdown, change in job or death of their owner. Every animal is worthy of a home but in some cases more so, for senior pets as it is even more upsetting for them to suddenly have a change after so many years settled in a home.
8. Supporting Us – By adopting an older animal you will not only be helping them but also supporting us, as we find puppies, kittens and younger cats and dogs very easy to rehome, whereas older pets can often find themselves in our care for months, sometimes years before they are adopted.
9. More Patient – Sometimes we have older animals at the centre with a nature that suggests they would be able to live with another animal. For example a dog that has had more life experience might make them a more suitable companion for a younger dog to help show them the ropes.
10.Peace of Mind – We run a vet check on all animals including senior pets, so we are able to brief you on any medical conditions the animal may have and will be aware of the care that might be required right from the start. If you notice any signs of ill health in the first two weeks of adopting you’ll see our centre vet Jo, we also offer four weeks free insurance with Pet Plan. If you want to continue this policy after that you have the option to do so.
This poem was written by our Centre Vet and dedicated to the older dogs that come through our door. Looking to retire, rest their paws on a cosy blanket and their head on a loving knee.
We hope we have helped change your feeling towards adopting an older animal and make it something you might consider in future! For more information regarding our animals up for adoption please click here.
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