Getting pets adopted and out of a shelter is never an easy task, especially when those older and wiser cats and dogs may have to compete with brand new adorable puppies and kittens running all over the place.
But those golden oldies may have some silver linings you never even thought of.
These homeless animals have to fight harder than the rest of their kennel mates due to their age.
“I do think animals get better with age, like all of us!” said Mary Steffen, with the Humane Society of Broward County. “If you have the time, a puppy is always fun, but if you’re really looking for a companion that you just kinda wanna relax with and that is just going be more go with the flow, adapt to your schedule, most likely it’s going to be an older pet.”
And considering an older pet is 7 years plus, these guys and gals have lots of life left in them.
Cats and dogs can easily live into their teens with good healthcare and most older pets are already house trained and their personality has already formed.
What you see is what you get!
“I just think that the senior pets, we forget about them and really, just, they are so grateful,” Steffen said. “They are really just looking for a human to bond with and be a companion with.”
And like a fine wine or aged cheese, these babies are getting better and better with time.
So when you are ready to add a new pet to your human family, think twice about saving a senior’s life.
I know the puppies are so cute and so hard to resist, but I really want you to think about an animal as a 20-year commitment.
And when you do that, those older cats and dogs definitely do not need anywhere near the training and the patience that those youngins require!