Second Chance: Shelter Seniors

16 Nov Second Chance: Shelter Seniors

Hi my name is Keaghan. I’m a 10- year-old Border Collie without a home. That just sounds so wrong, right?!?  Like getting along in years isn’t bad enough – let’s just take your home away too…  Well good thing November is Adopt-A-Senior Shelter Pet Month.

Keaghan

Here is how you can help us seniors, who shouldn’t be homeless in the first place, find our new homes…

Let me begin by saying, don’t be deceived by my age, because for age 10, I still have plenty of giddyup. In fact my favorite activity is playing fetch. I have never met a ball I don’t like or can’t catch. See how easily I got distracted just thinking about balls? I am supposed to be writing about how you can help me.

Here are the Top 5 reasons to adopt an older pet: 

Easy Peasy: Think you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? Hogwash! Older dogs are great at focusing on you and the task at hand because we are calmer than youngsters. Plus, all those years of experience reading humans helps us quickly figure out how to do what you’re asking.

Low Maintenance: Grown-up pets don’t require the constant monitoring puppies and kittens do, leaving you with more freedom to do your own thing. If you have young children, or just value “me time,” this is definitely a bonus.

Adaptive: Older dogs and cats have been around the block and already learned what it takes to get along with others and become part of a pack. We’ll be part of the family in no time!

Easy Livin’: Couch potato, know thyself! A canine retiree, although still needing daily exercise, doesn’t need to run a daily marathon.

Be a Hero: At shelters, older dogs and cats are often the last to be adopted and saving an animal’s life offers an unparalleled emotional return on your investment that you will enjoy every day you spend together.

Ok – so here is the plan.

First – consider adopting me. If you haven’t space for a mature, fun, bright, good mannered dog in your life (really???) than help me find someone who does. Go to my bio page on the Second Chance Website (address below) and social media the crap out of that page. I know my person is out there – they just don’t know they are my person yet.

If asked, yes I do get along well with other dogs, cats and people of course. And one of my more endearing qualities is my maternal instincts (yes I am a male). I have my own baby Teddy Bear which I travel with and which will be joining me when I find my new home. You can also mention that I know basic obedience and walk very well on a leash.

Other senior options here at Second Chance include Pumpkin, an eight-year-old, long-haired Tortoiseshell who is a very lovely, albeit homeless feline.

Pumpkin

Pumpkin’s person passed away and to add to that trauma, she had to leave her lifelong home and come to the shelter. So Pumpkin’s broken heart needs a new human to help her heal and feel loved again – fast.

Please social media the dickens out of this lovely and super adoptable girl.

Let’s make Adopt-A-Senior Shelter Pet Month a good one.

Editor’s note: It’s no secret. The Telluride region is dog heaven. Well, pet heaven. Unless you are one of our furry friends who gets caught in the maw of neglect and abuse. Then heaven is on hold until Second Chance Humane Society comes to the rescue. Second Chance is the region’s nonprofit dedicated to saving animals’ lives and promoting responsible pet parenting and human-animal bond. In her weekly blog, executive director Kelly Goodin profiles at least one, generally two of the many animals now living at the no-kill shelter, Angel Ridge Shelter, a dog and a cat, hoping to find them loving permanent homes. The column is sponsored by Ted Hoff of Cottonwood Ranch & Kennel, who from time to time exercises his skills as a dog whisperer, partnering with Kelly and her staff to help train a particularly challenging animal.

Ted Hoff &  Magnificent Mae

By the by, there is no better place to park your pup or get your pup (or adult dog) trained than Cottonwood whenever you head out of town (for locals) or are heading to town and staying somewhere that does not allow pets. Consider joining Ted’s Very Important Dog (VID) Club for added benies. (Details on Ted’s website.)

Dr. Michelle and Wallowby