At 14, with one eye and a heart condition, Minx was having a hard time finding an adopter. The Dachshund mix originally came into Best Friends Animal Society in Los Angeles in 2018, underweight and with mange. After receiving veterinary care from Best Friends, Minx found a long-term foster parent who helped him continue to blossom into a happy, healthy little dog. But the hope was that the right person would come along and give him a forever home.
In July, Lorraine Hamblin logged onto Best Friends’ website specifically looking for a smaller senior dog. She had lost her beloved Casey, whom she’d adopted as a senior, just before Christmas. While browsing, Hamblin was quickly drawn to Minx.
“He seemed perfect from the first time I saw his pictures. When I read Minx’s story, I knew I wanted to help him,” Hamblin said. “At first, I didn’t notice Minx had lost an eye but when I realized he had this little handicap and might get overlooked because of it, I knew I had to meet him.”
Hamblin adopted Minx and brought him home on the same day. She quickly found that Minx is house-trained, sleeps through the night, is fine with taking his daily medications, loves to meet neighbors (two- and four-legged), and really enjoys naps and cuddle time.
“November is National Adopt a Senior Pet Month and since senior pets can be among the most at-risk in shelters, this is a great time to talk about why an older dog or cat just might be the best choice for your next furry friend,” said Best Friends Animal Society CEO Julie Castle.
Best Friends offers the following reasons a senior dog or cat might be the right fit:
• Families often think it’s best to bring a puppy or kitten into the home, so the pet can “grow up with the children.” While this sounds good on paper, this combination often results in a frustrated family. “Puppies and kittens can be kind of wild and have no manners until they’re old enough to be trained. Their sharp teeth and claws often result in fearful children and rough handling, making for a strained relationship,” Castle said. “Many families discover that a better choice is to adopt an older animal with a history of doing really well with children.”
• It’s often easy to find older purebred pets looking for new homes through shelters or breed rescue groups.
• Senior pets are generally easier to have around. “Older dogs still enjoy going for walks with their people, but they don’t have as much crazy energy as their younger counterparts. Without all that frustration, drama, and mess, the family dynamic is easier. The pets and people can just enjoy each other’s company,” Castle said.
Since many shelters start labeling pets as “seniors” at five years old, that can add up to a lot of happy years together. Visit www.bestfriends.org.
