The Fate of Senior Pets In Shelters - March 11

Just one voice, with high spirits, can bring astronomical, sensible revelation to people everywhere.

No Longer a Puppy
As people strolled down the aisles, stopping at nearly every cage, they gleamed at the puppies and the dogs of mid-age one dog wondered what they thought, “Am I too tattered, moreover shattered or just that I neared ten?”
Perhaps people assumed he couldn’t scamper about in joy and play. Maybe they thought he wouldn’t mend, as they bowed their heads with pity, eagerly moving along their way; how swell. They haven’t a need for an aching dog in their home to dwell.
There was once a period of time when he owned his very own settee. But since then, his fur has speckled in grey and his senses, ever so slowly, began to fail. Who wants a dog exceptionally mature and quite stale anyway?
Some time ago, his family unquestionably deemed him as nothing but explicit damage; he must have caused them burdens or acquired an attitude, which was simply too difficult to manage. No matter their predicament, it couldn’t justify their explanation. There’s no rationalization for why he was left in this shelter for extinction. Day after day, he stared through the bars and envied the young dogs who were adopted each day; causing him to grow shyer. He appeared to have lost all his spirit and love for life.

Inner Beauty
Pet owners can still help dogs such as these by adoring their inner beauty and by bringing back their long lost desires; to be loved as much as they will love you. If you can see past flaws and uneven gaits, then you might be able to share your pillow to keep them cozy and warm. Share giggles and grins, whimpers and tears and cuddle-up during every rainstorm. Provide love for as long as they are granted life, but in a life without strife.
As the devastation overpowers the reality of adoptability, it’s more difficult to place senior pets into forever homes than any other homeless pet within shelter facilities. Even animals with disabilities, or other types of deformations such as a missing limb, have higher hopes for adoptability than senior animals. A pet considered a senior can vary from each type of animal. For instance, a Yorkshire Terrier are not considered seniors until the age 12 or older because their life span is much longer than that of a larger dog, such as a Labrador whose average life span is 10 to 12 years.

Striving for Placement
Although many seniors are the first on the list for euthanasia, due to lack of space over exceeding their allowable time within the shelter, most shelter workers desperately strive for placement of their senior animals. Phillip Snyder, the director of the Suncoast Humane Society in Englewood, Florida says, “We serve a human population that can appreciate the serene companionship senior pets have to offer.”
Private, no-kill, animal rescue organizations often face the same issues as shelter facilities. These rescues foster their adoptable animals within foster homes, treating the animals as a member of their own family until an adoption can be made. In doing so, they are able to truly get to know the true personalities and flaws of each animal. Shell Brodnax, the director of Seniors Saving Seniors Animal Rescue in Northern California explains, “We encourage all adopters to consider a senior pet. They are well established, better trained and more likely to fit into a family permanently, as they need less training and discipline.”
Brodnax further explains, “Due to the mortgage crisis which affects the entire United States we find family pets are tremendously affected by this. Families in crisis lose their homes and leaving their beloved pets behind, as they are no longer able to accommodate them. Shelters and rescues are constantly flooded with animals of all ages, sizes and breeds, but new adopters tend to choose younger pets and purebreds while ignoring seniors.”

Fearful and Shy
As many dogs of any age, seniors pets have a higher tendency to behave more fearful and shy within a shelter facility. They behave unnaturally from their usual state, making them appear unfriendly within their cramped cage spaces. Jeannie Fisher, president of Milagro Senior Pet Refuge in Phoenix, Arizona, feels these awkward behaviors are harmful to the animals. She states, “This liberal use of euthanasia by shelters effectively sabotages the ability of rescue organizations, as well as adopters, to help save precious lives that the shelters readily extinguish.” If more animals are given the chance to strut their true selves by further efforts from shelters, such as more out of cage dog handling, using special larger cage spaces for freedom play or special adoption events outside of the facility these options can considerably increase the adoptability of all pets.
Fisher also informs us of the reality of exceeding veterinary costs for seniors in reviving their health which was once previously ignored. These costs can often become too expensive for owners, especially senior owners to accompany, therefore Fisher works on a program to subsidize veterinary costs for senior pets due to their special circumstances and to increase their adoptability. Practicing veterinarians are able to write off these expenses as donations during tax season, and shelters inevitably save money by placing pets instead of putting them to rest. Fisher says, “We truly hope this program will have a rippling effect to shelters and rescues and veterinary offices around the country. This will also help to free more space within shelter facilities, as fewer seniors will remain their quite as long.”
There are senior pets in every animal shelter and pet rescue. They await forever homes in every state all across the nation. You can use www.petfinder.org to assist you in seeking out homeless animals everywhere.

Christa Grunzinger is a freelance writer who loves dogs. She works with the Doggy Doodles Adoptions, an animal rescue, made up of volunteers who are dedicated to the rescue of St. Louis’ Homeless Pet Population. They focus on educating adopters and the community about spay and neuter. She can be contacted at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .