ShelterSTYLE-Senior Dogs for Adoption: Broward Animal Care & Control
Senior dogs are so lovely. And, adopting one is such a blessing. I recently met a woman at a party who adopted a 10 year old Chihuahua, whose tongue hangs out of the side of her mouth because she has only two teeth. She weighs three pounds and her name is Chloe Kardoggian.
You may know her. Chloe is an Instagram star. She has over 33,000 followers! Chloe is a happy girl and her mom, Dory Herman, is a great dog parent. You can see how much Dory loves Chloe. Chloe went to the Webby Awards in New York (a post from her Instagram feed below), a Swatch party in Times Square; girl has an interesting life! 🙂 And, she’s such a cutie!
I told this story because considering senior dogs for adoption can bring such joy and unexpected fun into our lives. Here are just three (there are more) reasons why a senior dog is a great choice.
1) You’re a Senior – If you’re a senior citizen, love animals and miss or want the companionship of a dog, adopting a puppy may not be the wisest choice. They’re bursting with energy, need a lot of exercise, need to be trained extensively, walked often and they may outlive you. Choosing a middle-aged or elderly dog means they are already housebroken, they’ve settled down into life so they’re no longer bouncing off of the walls and they don’t need as many walks per day. And caring for a pet has been shown to make you happier and live longer!
2) You’re Disabled – If you don’t need the help of a Service Dog but you want a pet, an older dog could be a great idea. They won’t be running circles around you and their walking schedule is easier to manage. Their size is already determined so there’s no surprises when a puppy that’s supposed to grow to 15 lbs grows to 30. And this is my own opinion here, but I think an older dog understands instinctively to protect you and help you and be the kind of companion who makes your life a little easier.
3) You Want to Give an Older, Less Adoptable Dog a Second Chance – this reason comes up over and over. While adopting a young or elderly pet can be a bit of a mixed bag, choosing the ones others might not is giving an amazing gift of life to a being who feels lost or forgotten. Oftentimes, these are dogs who had longtime homes and know what having a family is like. And, with an estimated 6-8 million dogs and cats going into shelters each year, there is no shortage of great animals waiting for their forever homes. In an older dog of maybe 6 or more, you have an animal who has developed wisdom, knows who he or she is, takes the time to enjoy life and is just looking for a safe, loving environment to enjoy the rest of its life. Isn’t that what we’re looking for when we bring a new pet into our lives, our homes and our hearts?
As new residents of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, I’m highlighting a couple of beautiful seniors from the Broward Animal Care & Control. This is a kill shelter, so sharing these precious babies fast is critical. They may not be around much longer.
UNKNOWN – ID#A1742950
This poor, lost baby doesn’t even have a name at Broward ACC. She’s an approximately 10 year old, spayed, tan Chihuahua who desperately needs some love and to get out of the shelter. Broward County Animal Care and Adoption Section – Ft. Lauderdale at (954) 359-1313.
MINI – ID#A1747178
Mini is an unaltered female, tan and white long-haired Chihuahua. They say her age is unknown, but she looks like a senior to me. Broward County Animal Care and Adoption Section – Ft. Lauderdale at (954) 359-1313.
This DOG – ID#A1745868
Again, no name. 🙁 This baby is a Cocker Spaniel, unspayed female. They estimate her age at nine years old. Please share. Broward County Animal Care and Adoption Section – Ft. Lauderdale at (954) 359-1313
I adopted a senior dog in January (or sweet little Mike). It has taken him a little time to adjust to where he is. His eyesight is diminished so he navigates around by his smell spots and now knows his entire yard and routes around or neighborhood. I will say that since I am a senior myself that I am glad not to be training a puppy!
Hi Margot! So happy to hear you adopted a senior; what a blessing. If Mike’s eyesight is diminishing, you might want to check out a site called http://www.Muffinshalo.com. Creator Silvie Bordeaux has done such a beautiful service for blind and sight diminished dogs everywhere with her product, which attaches like a harness, has wings like an angel and a sturdy coated ring in front that protrudes and lets the dog know when its come up against a wall, or other object. Check it out. Happy to introduce you to Silvie if you’d like more info. Good luck with Mike! Jody
thanks for the feature and getting this great info out there!!!
xoxo
Dorie & Chloe
Hi Dorie, Chloe! So glad you enjoyed and happy to help spread the word about how wonderful senior animals are and how much they can add to a home. What a blessing to bring a loving senior into a warm, loving home in their twilight years. Give me goosebumps!
Adopting senior dogs is one of the most heart-warming experiences of my life. I’ve had many dogs live to senior-hood by the first one I adopted as an older girl was a 9-year old Akita named Sushi who’s owner (after having her since a pup) chose not to take her with her when she moved. I was lucky enough to intercept her on the way to a Shelter and she become my 2nd Soul Mate dog (yes, you can definitely have more than one and I’ve had more than 2!). I have gone on to adopt other dogs in their twilight years, and they are so appreciative and still have so much love to give. They have grown into their personalities and maybe mellowed down a bit but many continue to have puppy-like days. While volunteering at a Shelter, we were getting concerned about a 13 year old poodle as the holidays were coming and staff and volunteers alike were worried how she’d do in her concrete kennel as the colder weather came. Some amazing family, realizing the reality, adopted her just before Christmas. Doted on her getting her all she needed and although that little fur puff passed away in her sleep a little more than a month after being adopted, she crossed that Rainbow Bridge in a warm bed loved by humans. What an amazing last few weeks of life. When you see a senior dog or cat, it doesn’t matter how much time they may have left, just please try to make whatever time it is extra special!
Denise, thank you so much for this. You are such a beautiful heart and what you said is so true. Bless you.
Also shared on LinkedIN and twitter
Awesome! TY!
shared on my facebook page Crossposting and Advocating for Animals
Thank you so much, Ann! So sorry took so long to get back to you on this! Really appreciate you spreading the word. 🙂 Jody
How can I go about adopting a senior dog.
Hi Adela – So happy you’re asking! If you’re located in the Fort Lauderdale area, then just go online to Broward Animal Care & Control and open the Adoptions window. They’ll have a listing of dogs there with their approximate ages. If you’re located elsewhere, I would recommend googling the animal care and control in your area (they usually are the kill shelters so it’s even better adopting from them because you are literally saving a life), and see what older dogs they have up for adoption. If you need additional help, please reach out. My email is jody@barkandswagger.com. Thanks and good luck! Jody