posted on Thursday, March 02, 2017
LOVE KNOWS NO AGE by Lana Richmond, CCHS Volunteer

When thinking about adopting a new pet, the first impulse is often to look for a young one. Puppies and kitties are adorable and entertaining. A young animal will give you many years of love and that final “good bye” lies far beyond the horizon. It’s no wonder senior pets tend to linger in shelters longer than the youngsters.

Adopting an older pet with an unknown history can be scary. But when you talk to someone who has done it, you might be surprised to learn that they find the rewards far outweigh the negatives. What are those rewards?

The biggest one is knowing you’ve done a really good thing, and possibly have literally saved a life! No matter how well-run your local animal shelter is, it is a tough place to be for an old dog or cat.

But what about the more practical considerations?

Senior pets offer just as much love as younger pets – or more - and they’ve already outgrown their tendency to be overly rambunctious and mischievous! That’s not to say they aren’t playful – many are still goofy and love to play with toys. They just don’t destroy the house while doing it!

Adopting a senior pet doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t have much time together. With a good age-appropriate diet and veterinary care, pets are living longer than ever these days.

Take Edie for instance. Edie was surrendered at the Champaign County Humane Society when she was 10 years old. At first she was extremely shy and would only tolerate a minimum of human touch.

During the 18 months that Edie spent at CCHS, her transformation was remarkable. She gradually came to enjoy human touch and blossomed into a purring, belly-rub-loving, playful kitty.

Edie’s beautiful face is what first attracted the attention of her new owner, Pam. Edie and Pam have been together for just over a year and Edie is doing fabulously! She loves to jump on the bed and lay on Pam to have her fur stroked. This usually elicits motor-like purring. She also likes to lie on Pam’s pillow and curl around Pam’s head. Edie loves talking to Pam and will come when called. Edie has become quite mellow and has a clean bill of health from her vet.

            --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Another great senior adoption success story is Lulu’s. We guessed Lulu’s age to be around 8 or 9 when she was brought in. She was underweight, unkempt, and likely neglected. Though there is no way to know for sure, Lulu looked like she’d been a “puppy mill” dog. It appeared she’d had several litters and her teeth and gums were a mess.

None of this stopped Lulu from capturing the hearts of everyone who met her. It was as if Lulu decided she was not going to let her sad history stop her from giving people another chance. She play-bowed to staff during her medical exams and loved to cuddle in the arms of our staff and volunteers.

Lulu’s adopter, Jen, saw that Lulu had lots of love to give during her time left here on earth. Jen works long hours and knew she didn’t have time to raise a puppy. When she met Lulu and reflected on the hard life she had endured, her decision was made. She had to give Lulu the life she deserved.

Lulu adapted to her new home immediately. And she loves people! So much so that the first night Jen brought Lulu to her parents’ home, Lulu figured out how to escape through a doggie door and ran to the neighbor’s house, where she convinced total strangers to cuddle her. Worried that Lulu was lost and terrified out in the world by herself, Jen set out to find her. It didn’t take long for Jen to find her - safe and happy, wagging her tail with her new friends.

Lulu’s best friend is Jen’s parents’ dog, a 2-year-old Shih-Tzu mix. The age difference doesn’t bother Lulu; she likes to play and run around. Lulu and Jen took just a few short weeks to settle into a routine that works for them both.

Both Pam and Jen heartily recommend senior pet adoption. Pam has had several senior cats and loves the mellow attitude they tend to have. With so much love left to give, a senior pet can be just what your family is looking for. There are some fabulous adoptable seniors on pages seven and eight and even more at CCHS ready to steal your heart.