Studies have shown that senior pets are relinquished to shelters and rescues for reasons relating to cost, moving or home foreclosure, and the animal’s illness. According to information gathered by the NCBI, “historically, older cats and dogs have been particularly at-risk for euthanasia in animal shelters due to their lower perceived appeal for adoption. As spay/neuter of companion animals has become more widely practiced in the United States (U.S.), the population of companion animals in shelters has become less populated with juveniles and more populated with older cats and dogs. Studies show there has been an increased incidence of surrender due to high medical costs. Other studies have identified that animal illness and old age are the primary risk factors for being euthanized at the time of surrender. Additional studies indicate that the chance of a dog or cat getting adopted significantly decrease with age of the animal due to high kennel competition against animals that have more “desirable” traits. Furthermore, older animals are also more likely to be returned following adoption. The result of these factors is that older cats and dogs are amongst those with the greatest risk for euthanasia in a shelter.” According to studies by Faunalytics.org, “most people who no longer want their pets and leave them at shelters probably think they’re doing the right thing. But rescue shelters are always at capacity and there are many more animals being abandoned each day than there are homes that welcome pets in. Once a pet is left at a shelter, it has about 72 hours to be adopted before it is destroyed. The fact remains that each day in the US, around 4,100 dogs and cats are killed in shelters”.
Are you ready to make a difference in the lives of unwanted senior dogs and cats? By working together, we can make a world of difference in their lives.