Adopting a Senior Dog
What would stop you from adopting or caring for a Seriously Senior Dog? Here are the top three responses:
- Emotional Toll
- Time and Effort
- Cost
We know at HWAH, the reward of adopting a senior dog will far outweigh the challenges. This week we want to focus on the Emotional Side…
The Emotional Toll:
Many people say they don’t want to adopt or care for a senior dog, because the thought of losing them is too hard to handle. But as the wise Winnie the Pooh said “How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.” Caring for a senior dog could be one of the most rewarding things you will ever experience. A senior pet knows they’ve been given a second chance, and they’ll spend the rest of their days thanking you for giving them just that.
One of the best reasons to adopt a senior dog has nothing to do with convenience and everything to do with kindness. Senior dogs, like any animal, deserve a chance to live out their later years in a loving environment. The kind of companionship and care that best meets their needs can’t be found in a busy, noisy, stressful shelter — even rescue groups with the best of intentions and highest standards. Yet it’s in these shelters that senior dogs too often spend weeks, months, or even the rest of their lives while they wait for a potential adopter.
Another benefit may be to you! The easy and relaxed relationship that most people with have with pets may bring another benefit to people living alone. People report that when they are out walking with their dogs strangers are much more likely to stop and talk with them-mostly because there is a dog to say hello to, and people seem to want that moment of relaxed interaction with a pet. This can sometimes have important implications for the person’s future lifestyle. Take case of Emma Cooper, age 71 who, had been living alone for nearly eight years since her husband died.
“I was out walking Surrey, my cocker spaniel and this man stopped to give him a pat. He seemed like a nice man and told me that he used to have a blonde cocker spaniel just like Surrey. We started to talk about living with dogs and then stopped for a cup of coffee. Well one thing led to another and Bill and I are getting married next month–as soon as we can find a clergyman who is willing to let a dog stand in as the best man!” (shared from Canine Corner By Stanley Coren).