As many of us celebrated Remebrance, Armistice or Veterans Day last week let's not forget that November is also the National Adopt an Older Pet Month. The Naples Humane Society had this to say about adopting a senior pet:
"Senior Pets are a Great Adoption Value
They are older but healthy, loving animals. They are often overlooked for adoption because of their age. Yet senior pets can be the perfect adoption choice for some people. That’s the message animal shelters are promoting during November’s “National Adopt-A-Senior Pet Month” campaign.
Like people, older pets undergo physical changes in the natural course of their life and become a little more careful, wiser, and much more gentle than they were in their younger years. That makes them a great choice for working or retired people.
Senior pets come pre-trained. They already know what they should and should not do because their previous owners spent time and effort and money on house and leash training. That leaves more time for senior pets and their new owners to enjoy each other’s company without having to go through all those training hassles.
Senior pets are still active, but they’re not rambunctious like puppies and kittens. Kittens and puppies are fine for people who have lots of time and patience. But many people would rather not have a pet that is active 24/7, needing supervised exercise all the time. Senior pets do have active periods, but they also like to chill out, too.
Senior pets have a fully-developed personality that is evident at the shelter and pretty much stays that way when they go to their adopted home. On the other hand, most puppies and kittens all start out the same way, cute and cuddly. But in twelve months they become adults and develop an adult personality that can sometimes be completely
different from what they were as youngsters.
Senior pets are a perfect solution for those people who don’t want a 15-year or more commitment to pet ownership that comes with a puppy or kitten. People approaching their senior years would find adopting a senior pet to be a very heartwarming experience
as they both age into their golden years together.
At pet shelters, such as the Humane Society Naples, senior pet adoption prices are heavily discounted. A senior dog is discounted $30, from the regular $75 dog adoption fee. Senior cats are discounted $20 from the usual $55 adoption fee.
Also worth considering is the fact that a senior pet has had a thorough medical exam, vaccinations, sterilization surgery and a lifetime of good care—all at someone else’s expense.
Senior pets really can be the perfect pet for many people."