The Benefits of Adopting an Older Pet

Everyone loves kittens and puppies because they're cute and playful. And yet it seems like everyone who's ever raised a kitten or puppy has at least one horror story to go along with it! Baby animals are adorable, but there are many loving older pets who need retirement homes to call their own.

Reasons to adopt an older pet include:

• They're more mellow and tend to have better house manners. While many are still active, they're just as content to relax at home with you.

• Senior dogs are better focused and are easier to train - and they may already know some commands. You may have heard the saying, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks!" Fortunately that's not true. Puppies tend to have a short attention span, while older dogs learn quickly.

• Senior pets are often already housetrained. Dogs will know how to ask to be let outside when have need to go, and cats will know how to use their litter boxes.

• They're past the destructive stage. Puppies will chew most anything while they're in their teething stage, and kittens have yet to learn what's appropriate to scratch and what's not! Older pets tend to know what is theirs, and they've often been taught what no means.

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  You'll have more time for yourself and to enjoy your pet, instead of cleaning up after them, attending to frequent bathroom breaks, teaching them manners, and all the other stuff that's necessary when you have a youngster.

• You know what you're getting. You know how big your pet's going to be, how he looks, how active he is, and so on. Puppies and kittens have a lot of growing to do and they may develop into an adult that is different from what you expected.

• Most importantly, senior pets have lots of love to give and they'll form a steadfast bond with their new people. They just need someone to love them in return!

Check with your local SPCA or animal rescue group to find older pets in need of a home.