Now that kitten season has ended, senior pets have taken their well-deserved place in the spotlight during November for Adopt a Senior Pet Month.

At Roice-Hurst Humane Society, we consider pets age 8 and older to be seniors, and our shelter has plenty of sweet senior dogs and cats ready to settle into loving homes. 

Choosing to add an older pet to your family comes with many benefits. 

Senior pets have plenty of experience living in a home, so they’re usually already potty trained and know basic commands by heart. Plus, they’re typically much calmer and less demanding (and less destructive) than bouncy puppies and kittens but still enjoy taking pleasant walks around the neighborhood with you. 

In July, our shelter welcomed a pair of 17-year-old cats after their owner passed away. Friskie and Fuzzy took a while to adapt to a shelter environment, as many senior pets do, but they eventually accepted love and pets from our team. After a month in the shelter, Fuzzy and Friskie found loving, quiet homes where they can spend the rest of their days lounging on warm laps and receiving chin scratches.

Because senior pets have a tougher time acclimating to a shelter environment, we need fosters! Especially if you’re unable to adopt a senior pet right now, adopting or fostering a senior pet is a rewarding experience that truly makes a substantial difference for the pet. 

You may be surprised just how much of a difference they’ll make for you in return! Studies show that caring for a pet can vastly improve a person’s mental and physical health, providing benefits like decreased blood pressure, improved cognitive function in older adults, and increased opportunities for physical activity and social connection. The American Heart Association reports that dog owners live longer than people who don’t share their life with a dog, and dog owners tend to have better outcomes after major health events. 

Pets provide purpose and companionship, which are essential components to a happy and healthy life. November is a wonderful time to welcome a senior pet into your heart and home and mutually benefit one another. 

With a mature pet, what you see is what you get. To sweeten the deal, many shelters, including Roice-Hurst, offer discounted adoption fees for senior pets. Learn more about adopting or fostering a senior pet on our website or stop by the shelter at 362 28 Road in Grand Junction or 720 W. Fourth St. in Delta. 

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