ADOPT A SENIOR PET WITH BEST FRIENDS ANIMAL SOCIETY

November 01, 2017

November is Adopt a Senior Pet Month, so we sat down with a fantastic organization – Best Friends Animal Society – to learn all about what they’re doing for homeless animals, and what makes senior pets so special.

ABOUT BEST FRIENDS ANIMAL SOCIETY

For over 30 years, Best Friends Animal Society has been running the nation’s largest no-kill sanctuary for companion animals and building effective programs across the country to reduce the number of animals entering shelters. They were founded in 1984 by a group of about 30 friends who were concerned about the state of America’s shelters. At that time, 17 million dogs and cats were being killed every year so the need was incredible for an alternative.

Today Best Friends’ mission is to “bring about a time when there are No More Homeless Pets” by helping end the killing in America’s animal shelters through building community programs and partnerships all across the nation. They are working to “Save Them All” and Kriser’s loves that!

They’re based in Kanab, UT and own and operate one animal sanctuary, multiple adoption centers across the country, and run a network of over 2,000 partners – all working toward saving shelter animals from being killed.

Their animal sanctuary, Angel Canyon, is pretty special as it’s home to nearly 1,600 previously homeless dogs, cats, horses, pigs, bunnies, and other wild animals. It is a truly unique place where animals can come to be adopted, or come to stay for their rest of their lives and receive all the necessary care they need.

ANIMAL ADOPTION CENTERS

Aside from their animal sanctuary, Best Friends has multiple adoption centers, which are open to the public and located in Salt Lake City, New York City, Atlanta and two in the Los Angeles area – NKLA: No Kill Los Angeles and Best Friends Animal Society in Mission Hills.

The NKLA shelter and their 120 coalition partners – which include rescues, fosters, city and private shelters – is a very special initiative specifically created for the city of Los Angeles. Launched in 2012, it has been working to lower the animal kill rate in the city and change how the local community looks at pet adoptions.

The LA Mission Hills adoption center hosts about 300-400 pets on average and NKLA has 100 – a third of which are senior pets (7 years or older).

SENIOR PETS LIVING AT BEST FRIENDS AND NKLA

Most pets that make it to the adoption centers are strays – this includes puppies, adolescents/adults and senior dogs and cats.

It’s far more likely that senior pets in adoption centers and shelters are owner surrenders. They come in as surrenders of elderly people who can no longer care for the animals due to health or financial issues, changes in their living situation or death. Others are surrendered during big life changes like divorces, lost jobs, moving to another city or having a baby.

Best Friends is always happy to take them in to help them find their new, appropriate, lasting forever home.

BENEFITS OF ADOPTING A SENIOR PET

There are so many benefits to bringing a senior pet into your home. A few of those include:

Senior pets have already been a part of a human family and are quick to acclimate to their new homes.
They certainly want to get out of the shelter and back to their home life!
Most of the time, they are already house broken (some might need a little reminder after living in a shelter for a while).
They usually already have great manners.
They have learned how to walk on a leash, and not to chew shoes or scratch the furniture.
They tend to be mellower, take more naps, need shorter walks and to be all around great companions.
They are ready for your next Netflix binge sesh, eager to snuggle with you on the couch and go to bed early.

Senior dogs and cats really make great companions for busy growing families, as well as singletons and older people.

OTHER PERKS TO ADOPTING A SENIOR

This month – Best Friends is running a special promotion where you can adopt your new senior best friend (a dog or cat 5 years or older) for only $25!

Throughout the year, Best Friends Animal Society has a program offered only in Los Angeles, where you can adopt a pet over the age of 5, for just $5 if you are over 55 years old. It’s a senior matching program of sorts.

They also offer a Pet Preview Program (not exclusive for seniors) where you essentially foster to adopt – and have a 7 day window trial period. If all goes well your pet automatically becomes yours, but if for any reason it doesn’t turn out to be a good fit, you can bring your pet back without any issues.

NOVEMBER IS NATIONAL ADOPT A SENIOR PET MONTH!

If you’ve been on the fence, it may be a great time to round out your family with four new furry paws.

Head over to https://bestfriends.org/adopt to find a center or partner rescue group near you!

News