Need a reason to adopt a senior pet? We have 6.

Ontario SPCA Animal Centres have many pets come into our care who are in their senior years of life. Sadly, many adopters look for the young animals first, and the older pets get left behind! Here 7 reasons to bring a senior pet home compiled from some of our older blogs:

Reasons to adopt a senior pet

1. 

   They’re fully matured. When you adopt a younger pet, they’re still in the process of learning, developing, and growing. The great thing about a senior pet is that it’s fully matured, which means it has a fully formed demeanor, temperament, and personality. This can help you when choosing a pet!

2. They tend to be calmer. Most older pets tend to be calmer and more laidback, which is why many of them do well in houses with young children or first-time pet owners. While they still require regular exercise, they’re not as high energy as a younger pet. That means more time to cuddle!
3. They have experience being part of a family. Many senior pets were once beloved family pets but for whatever reason have ended up at a shelter. There’s a good chance your senior pet has lived in a home before and understands basic household etiquette. It’s also likely your senior pet has spent time being socialized around humans and will need less adjustment time before settling in as a member of your family.
4. It’s easier to teach an old dog new tricks. Older dogs tend to be calmer and have better attention spans compared to younger dogs, making them easier to train. Not only are senior dogs just as smart and trainable as puppies, but it’s likely that your senior dog will already be housebroken and familiar with basic commands.
5. Still time for a strong bond: Adult animals can make loyal, trusting companions. The animals seem to know they’ve been given a ‘second chance’ and they take advantage of it.
6. They know their personality: Older pets can also be just as sweet and playful as kittens. Also, when adopting a senior cat, you can get a sense of their personality and their needs, better than you can with a kitten who hasn’t fully discovered themselves yet.

iAdopt for Spring

iAdopt for Spring will run for the month of April at Ontario SPCA Animal Centres across the province with the goal of getting as many animals as possible placed into loving forever homes during the spring season.

To learn more about iAdopt for Spring visit: www.iadopt.ca

To find adoptable animals near you visit: www.meetyourmatch.ontariospca.ca 

photo credit: Happy Paula via photopin (license)