Senior Pets Need You!

I volunteer at one shelter in a city with dozens, in a state with hundreds and a country with thousands.

Still, at just this shelter, Cleopatra, an eight year old German Shepard mix has been looking for her forever home for more than a year. She lays on her very own mattress and patiently waits for anyone to glance her way when they walk into the big dog area. Most of the time it doesn’t happen.

Many people come through her hallway and don’t even notice Cleo. I could tell you dozens of sad stories about pets that just need a place to live out their last years in dignity and comfort.

The fact that people come into the shelter for their pets is a beautiful thing, so I’m not judging – I love that more and more people are realizing that they can get absolutely wonderful dogs from shelters and that they make a conscious decision to rescue animals rather than buy them. After all, each rescued animal gets us closer to a point where our country won’t kill animals in shelters.

Old dogs aren’t what many are looking for, but let me make a case for them, so maybe you or someone you know might consider adopting a senior pet.

In fact, there are definitely many reasons that senior dogs make great companions.

1.       They are past the chewing and puppy-like habits – they know their manners by now!

2.       They are calm and often comfortable with many kinds of animals and people

3.       They are the perfect snuggle companions and just love your company

4.       Although they will always love walks, they don’t require as much activity as other dogs

5.       Just like other rescued animals, they will appreciate you for saving them and will give you unending love!

6.       They still have a lot of life left in them – regardless of how old they are

You can feel good knowing that you were that person who stepped up and gave them a wonderful life. You can know you put their needs before your own desire to have them for their full life – plus, you never know how long they will live with the right amount of love and kindness from you!

Senior animals often have a difficult time getting adopted, but they deserve the same chance as every other. Cleo and the thousands of others deserve to go home.

My mom always told me to live by the Golden Rule, to do unto others as you would have done unto you.

We all hope that when we get old, we’ll be considered just as good as we are now and won’t be put away somewhere to age by ourselves. Let’s offer senior pets that same chance.