Top Ten Reasons to Adopt a Senior Pet

There are so many wonderful reasons to adopt a pet. Bringing a new pet into your home can provide a limitless amount of adventures. Similarly, taking the opportunity to adopt a senior pet has an unlimited amount of perks, some of which are often overlooked due to the pet’s age.

Take the chance to bring a senior pet into your home, you will have a set friend for life and their world will be forever changed. Quite often by bringing home that older pet, you are not only giving them a loving home but could be saving their life.

Here are just ten reasons to adopt a senior pet, but we think there are many more reasons to bring that furry friend into your life.

Top Ten Reasons Why Adopting a Senior Pet Rocks

Celebrate the Golden Years

The best years of a person and pet’s life are often referred to as the golden years. Why not take the time to live it up and make the golden years the very best time of your lives!

Ready for Snuggles

Any pet can benefit from kisses, cuddles, and extra snuggles. Senior pets are no different. By having a senior pet, chances are they might want a little more rest, relaxation and deeper connections.

House-Trained

Chances are your senior pet will not need to be house-trained. Just another benefit to adopting a senior pet! That being said, there are still always opportunities for learning and training no matter what age. This applies to humans and pets alike.

Enjoy a Slower Pace

Adopting a senior pet leads the way to enjoy a slower pace of life. You can fully enjoy everything life has to offer, taking the time for slow walks, smelling the flowers, and enjoying the best of nature with your furry friend by your side.

Second Chances

There are many reasons why a senior pet can end up in an animal shelter or rescue organization ~ from natural disasters to a caretaker passing away. When you take a chance on a senior pet, you provide them with a new lease on life and a happy new forever home!

Endless Opportunities

With a senior pet by your side, there are endless opportunities for fun, adventure, and companionship. Whether you want to travel, catch up on your favorite book or television show, or even an afternoon cat nap, your furry friend is right there with you every step of the way.

New Best Friend

Once you adopt a senior pet, you have an automatic new best friend. Their loyalty will never waiver, their love will be forever, and you can always count on them to appreciate what you have done for them.

Age is Just a Number

Due to advancements in veterinary medicine, healthy premium foods, and pet wellness, many pets are living longer, healthier, and more satisfying lives. Pets are thriving well into their senior years and deserve the best of everything we can give them.

Ready and Waiting

So many different types of pets are ready and waiting for their new forever homes. Senior pets are sitting in animal shelters and rescue organizations around the world just waiting for the chance to meet their new forever humans. Could that be you?! 

Grey is the New Black

The new “it” color is grey. Grey is a popular color this fall fashion season and we truly believe that grey muzzles are the best. Everyone thinks silver paws, grey faces, and salt and pepper locks on dogs and cats are dignified and downright adorable. If you agree, it may very well be that you have found the perfect pet to take more selfies with!

Senior pets are amazing companions. You will have an instant addition to your squad, a co-pilot for your travels, and a best friend for all your adventures ~ whether indoors or outside. Next time you are at the shelter, please take the time to stop by and meet a senior pal . . . the shy ones, the scared ones, the so-called 'less adoptables'. We're guessing that you will indeed find your next forever friend there waiting for you!

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Raven Hannah is a self-described animal whisperer, lifelong pet parent, and owner of HolisticPetsAndPeeps.com & TheGiftedPet.com. She is certified as a holistic consultant, aromatherapist, Reiki practitioner (for animals and people), and pet nutritionist. She encourages others to celebrate animals as part of the family, as well as keep them happy, healthy, and spoiled! When Raven isn’t busy being a slave to her very demanding senior cats or helping her favorite rescues with fundraising projects, she is most likely working on growing her businesses and raising awareness in an effort to make this world a better place for all creatures.

More Loveable . . . Not Less Adoptable!

Too often I hear about dogs and cats that are considered “less adoptable” due to their age, breed, perceived disability or even the color of their fur! Petfinder's “Adopt-A-Less-Adoptable-Pet-Week”, (which is celebrated the last week of September), is actually on a continuous mission to change minds and misperceptions about homeless pets. I still find it difficult to wrap my mind around the fact that black cats are still considered less adoptable mainly due to superstition, and that black animals in general are considered 'unlucky'.  Hard to believe considering it’s 2015. I have shared my home with many black cats, and dogs, and other black animals, in addition to a variety of colorful and wonderful pets, for most of my 53 years on this planet. For me, personally, I think all animals are gifts from God, as well as incredibly intelligent sentient beings.  However, there is something especially alluring about dark fur and big green eyes, or blue eyes, or hazel eyes . . . something magical and mystical about these beautiful animals, which is why I tend to gravitate towards them.  

Then it occurred to me that perhaps my readers may have a specific belief regarding “less adoptable” companion animals. If we all work together to share our stories about our pets and how amazing they are, regardless of perceived "imperfections" or "handicaps", I believe we can help dispel these myths and perhaps help increase the adoption rates of less fortunate animals who are in need of loving, forever homes.  If more potential adopters could see past the minor "imperfections", they could experience the delight of sharing their lives with pets that have so much love to give, and who show us their gratitude every single day.

Here are some of the categories of the pet population that are considered “less adoptable”, and the advantages of sharing your home with one or more of them:

www.Petfinder.com

Senior Pets

Kittens and puppies are adorable, but training can be labor intensive and not always ideal for people with busy schedules. When you adopt a senior pet, there are many advantages. There are no surprises with behavior issues or growth spurts . . . you know in advance what you’re getting. Senior pets generally have a longer attention span so often training is easier. In general, older felines are more patient with other pets and children in the household. And finally, senior companion animals are often a perfect match with senior citizens. The companionship of an older dog or cat can provide much-needed friendship and interaction for seniors who live alone. I have started a foundation called Senior Pet Project, whose mission is 'Working to Keep At-Risk Senior Pets Out Of Shelters & Finding Them Loving Forever Homes . . . ♥ '.  Won't you please make a generous donation today? www.SeniorPetProject.org  ♥

Black Animals

Dark colored dogs and cats are much harder to place than their lighter colored counterparts. Yes, superstition plays a role when it comes to black cats. Actually, some shelters and rescues will not adopt out black cats during the Halloween season, for fear that some harm might come to them. However, there may be other factors that come into play. I recall an article I read awhile back stating that lighter colored animals stand out more in a crowd. So, when future pet parents go to a shelter to choose a pet, they see the lighter, more brightly colored pets first. The next time you find yourself looking to adopt, don’t forget to look very carefully at all of the animals because choosing the darkest pet could brighten your life for many years to come.

Misunderstood Breeds

American Pitbull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers and Staffordshire Bull Terriers and similar mixed breeds are often referred to as Pit Bulls. Many disreputable people have exploited Pit Bull types, training them to be aggressive and to fight. As a result, Pit Bulls top the list as the most euthanized dog in the country. Actually, these breeds are loyal and generally good with children. In the UK, they were known as “nanny” dogs in the 19th century. There are other misunderstood dog breeds that are harder to place including larger dogs like Rottweilers, German Shepherds, Doberman Pinschers, Chow Chows and others. In my capacity as an animal welfare & animal rights activist, adoption advocate, as well as fundraiser & awareness proponent, I have had a lot of personal experience with several of these breeds and have nothing but positive things to report. The success stories regarding adoptions and the incredibly loving relationships pet parents have with these misunderstood dog breeds far outweigh the few unfortunate incidents that occur, and that are sensationalized by the media. Has anyone else noticed the pattern of demonizing a certain breed in each decade? In the '70s they blamed Dobermans, in the '80s they blamed German Shepherds, in the '90s they blamed Rottweilers. Now they blame the Pit Bull. When will they wake up to reality and blame the humans?

Medical Challenges

Finally, there are the dogs and cats with chronic medical problems, often as a result of abuse or misfortune. Some common disabilities include animals who are blind, deaf or may be missing a limb. In many cases, pets with disabilities are not harder to care for than those that are completely healthy. However, sometimes pet parents may need to devote more time, patience, and veterinary care to these pets. Rest assured, medically-challenged companion animals can enjoy happy and fulfilling lives with the right families and they can give back so much more than they receive.

Senior Dog

If you have welcomed a “less adoptable” pet into your home and experienced the love and affection of these special animals, won't you please help me spread the word?!

* Portions of this article excerpted from the Life's Abundance Blog.

Senior Pets Matter!

When private individuals want to relinquish a senior pet, our mission is to be able to offer advice to try to keep the senior pet in the home. For example, sometimes a house-soiling problem can be controlled by the use of a belly band, the introduction of puppy pads, or even canine or feline diapers. We also assist senior pet parents who may be having difficulty affording vet care, medication, or even just basic necessities. Our priority is to try and keep senior pets in their homes, rescue senior pets who have been relinquished to a shelter, and help senior people keep their own pets.

Too often, senior pets are outright abandoned, which is when we offer help in finding them a safe place to land. We are unable to accept owner-surrendered pets at this time, as we do not yet have a sanctuary. It is our goal to learn about any issues prior to a surrender or abandonment, however if that is not the case, we do our best to keep senior pets out of high-kill shelters and offer financial assistance until they can be placed in a foster home or a forever home.

Donations are a critical part of our mission, as we cannot help without the resources to sustain what we do. Keeping a senior pet in their home through common sense solutions, or helping a senior person afford their current pet is far less expensive than trying to re-home a senior pet. It is also far less traumatic for everyone concerned . . . . especially the senior pet. Shelters can be quite scary and confusing to a pet who has been abandoned. Even though most pets are very resilient, it is preferential to keep them out of the shelters and in happy homes. Please, won't you help us sustain our mission by making a generous donation today?! No amount is too small. Many raindrops fill an ocean.

Thank you for your support.

www.SeniorPetProject.org

More Loveable . . . Not Less Adoptable!

Too often I hear about dogs and cats that are considered “less adoptable” due to their age, breed, perceived disability or even the color of their fur! Petfinder's “Adopt-A-Less-Adoptable-Pet-Week”, which is celebrated the last week of September, is actually on a continuous mission to change minds and misperceptions about homeless pets. I still find it difficult to wrap my mind around the fact that black cats are still considered less adoptable mainly due to superstition, and that black animals in general are considered 'unlucky'.  Hard to believe considering it’s 2014. I have shared my home with many black cats, and dogs, and other black animals, in addition to a variety of colorful and wonderful pets, for most of my 53 years on this planet. For me, personally, I think all animals are gifts from God, as well as incredibly intelligent sentient beings.  However, there is something especially alluring about dark fur and big green eyes, or blue eyes, or hazel eyes . . . something magical and mystical about these beautiful animals, which is why I tend to gravitate towards them.  Then it occurred to me that perhaps my readers may have a specific belief regarding “less adoptable” companion animals. If we all work together to share our stories about our pets and how amazing they are, regardless of perceived "imperfections" or "handicaps", I believe we can help dispel these myths and perhaps help increase the adoption rates of less fortunate animals who are in need of loving, forever homes.  If more potential adopters could see past the minor "imperfections", they could experience the delight of sharing their lives with pets that have so much love to give, and who show us their gratitude every single day.

Here are some of the categories of the pet population that are considered “less adoptable”, and the advantages of sharing your home with one or more of them:

www.Petfinder.com

Senior Pets

Kittens and puppies are adorable, but training can be labor intensive and not always ideal for people with busy schedules. When you adopt a senior pet, there are many advantages. There are no surprises with behavior issues or growth spurts . . . you know in advance what you’re getting. Senior pets generally have a longer attention span so often training is easier. In general, older felines are more patient with other pets and children in the household. And finally, senior companion animals are often a perfect match with senior citizens. The companionship of an older dog or cat can provide much needed friendship and interaction for seniors who live alone. I have started a foundation called Senior Pet Project, whose mission is to 'Keep Senior Pets in Forever Homes & Help Seniors Keep Thier Pets'.  Won't you please make a generous donation today? www.SeniorPetProject.org  ♥

Black Animals

Dark colored dogs and cats are much harder to place than their lighter colored counterparts. Yes, superstition plays a role when it comes to black cats. Actually, some shelters and rescues will not adopt out black cats during the Halloween season, for fear that some harm might come to them. However, there may be other factors that come into play. I recall an article I read awhile back stating that lighter colored animals stand out more in a crowd. So, when future pet parents go to a shelter to choose a pet, they see the lighter, more brightly colored pets first. The next time you find yourself looking to adopt, don’t forget to look very carefully at all of the animals because choosing the darkest pet could brighten your life for many years to come.

Misunderstood Breeds

American Pitbull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers and Staffordshire Bull Terriers and similar mixed breeds are often referred to as Pit Bulls. Many disreputable people have exploited Pit Bull types, training them to be aggressive and to fight. As a result, Pit Bulls top the list as the most euthanized dog in the country. Actually, these breeds are loyal and generally good with children. In the UK, they were known as “nanny” dogs in the 19th century. There are other misunderstood dog breeds that are harder to place including larger dogs like Rottweilers, German Shepherds, Doberman Pinschers, Chow Chows and others. In my capacity as an animal welfare & animal rights activist, adoption advocate, as well as fundraiser & awareness proponent, I have had a lot of personal experience with several of these breeds, and have nothing but positive things to report. The success stories regarding adoptions and the incredibly loving relationships pet parents have with these misunderstood dog breeds far outweigh the few unfortunate incidents that occur, and that are sensationalized by the media. Has anyone else noticed the pattern of demonizing a certain breed in each decade? In the '70s they blamed Dobermans, in the '80s they blamed German Shepherds, in the '90s they blamed Rottweilers. Now they blame the Pit Bull. When will they wake up to reality and blame the humans?

Medical Challenges

Finally, there are the dogs and cats with chronic medical problems, often as a result of abuse or misfortune. Some common disabilities include animals who are blind, deaf or may be missing a limb. In many cases, pets with disabilities are not harder to care for than those that are completely healthy. However, sometimes pet parents may need to devote more time, patience and veterinary care to these pets. Rest assured, medically-challenged companion animals can enjoy happy and fulfilling lives with the right families and they can give back so much more than they receive.

Senior Dog

If you have welcomed a “less adoptable” pet into your home and experienced the love and affection of these special animals, please help me spread the word.

* Portions of this article excerpted from the Life's Abundance Blog.