With the holidays drawing near, the prospect of getting a new pet is bound to come up among many households. Of course, there is nothing wrong with wanting to add a new member to the family, but often times individuals are seeking the younger, tinier, “cuter” pets, i.e. puppies and kittens. Though it never hurts to give a needy kitten or puppy a new home, there are also many older pets who need homes as well. It might seem a little scary, adopting an older pet, but it is definitely worth considering and most assuredly worth the time, love and effort. If you’re still unsure or looking for some reasons to adopt an older dog, cat or otherwise, here are five reasons why you might want to consider. 1. Despite their age, older pets have just as much love to give. If anything, older pets have much MORE love to give. They have been through a lot, especially being put up for adoption. The best thing you could do for them would be to adopt them, and they are sure to love you for that. 2. Older animals can be just as active as younger ones.Despite the stereotype against them, older pets can be just as active as younger pets. Just like the human body though, an aging pet must be taken care of properly. With a proper diet and enough exercise, an older pet can be very alert. Of course, as the body grows older, things don’t always work as they used to; however, that doesn’t mean that your older pet will not be a fantastic friend. 3. Older pets aren’t much harder to take care of.It might be true that as the body grows older, more problems are bound to arise. However, as stated above, much like humans, if a pet is taken care of, the likelihood of them developing certain issues as they age is slimmer. Problems can arise among a pet of any age. Just as a child can get sick, so can a puppy or kitten. It’s not only older pets that need extra care with health issues. 4. Despite their age, older pets can often still live for many years.It’s true that some pets don’t live as long as others – for instance, larger dogs might have shorter life spans than smaller ones. However, just because a pet is old doesn’t mean that it can’t grace your family for many years. Just with humans, if pets are taken care of and given enough love, they can live for a very long time. 5. Adopting an older pet can be much less work than adopting a young one.In most cases, older pets are usually already trained. You do not have to go through their awkward, misbehaving stages, especially if a rowdy pet is not something you want to deal with. Older pets are often much calmer than younger pets, and there is much less time you will have to spend going after them to make sure they do not do something they otherwise would not know to do. It may take a little while for your older pet to get used to how you do things, but they are sure to catch on much faster. So, the next time you decide to adopt a pet, try searching for older animals. These wonderful, older pets have often been up for adoption for a long time or have gone through tough times; therefore, they need love and have so much to give in return.
