As part of Adoption Awareness Month, BC SPCA officials are encouraging those considering bringing a pet into their family not to overlook older animals.
“There are so many benefits to adopting an older pet,” Lorie Chortyk, the society's general manager of community relations, said in a statement.
“They’re more settled, they’re house-trained, their personalities are fully developed and you know how big they’ll get.
"The best reason to adopt one, however, is because they deserve it.”
Unfortunately, while senior dogs and cats often still have many good years left, kittens and puppies always find homes faster.
“People reason that they want to have their new pet for as long as possible, and the younger it is when they adopt it, the longer they’ll have it,” Chortyk said.
“Unfortunately, that means adult and older cats end up spending a greater portion of those years in a shelter.”
Older cats, she said, are generally more accustomed to household life and, while they still enjoy companionship and affection, they don’t demand the level of supervision of their kitten counterparts.
The BC SPCA is highlighting the benefits of adopting adult pets as part of Adoption Awareness Month throughout May. Last year, the BC SPCA found loving homes for more than 18,000 animals across the province.