There are dozens of reasons to adopt an older cat or dog, but only one that really matters: it’s the right thing to do.
“There are so many benefits to adopting an older pet,” said Lorie Chortyk, B.C. SPCA spokeswoman. “They’re more settled, they’re house-trained, their personalities are fully developed and you know how big they’ll get. The best reason to adopt one, however, is because they deserve it.”
Senior dogs often have many good years left to enjoy and cats can live well into their teens and even 20s. That means a senior cat of eight years and older, who is adopted from a shelter, could be with his or her new owner for another 10 years or longer.
Compared to kittens and young cats, older cats are generally more accustomed to household life and content to snooze away much of the day.
May is the B.C. SPCA’s Adoption Awareness Month