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Some of us LOVE to adopt old dogs. All my rescues have been at least 7 years old. It's true that dogs that age arent high on the adoptions priority list but there are still people who prefer to adopt them. No housebreaking...no chewing...no high energy issues...a dog who appreciates a good nap with his owner is my kind of dog.
My current dog was dumped on the street last year at the age of @ 7. She had had many litters and was apparently too old to be a puppy factory any longer. I adopted her shortly after the local doberman rescue group took her in. She's perfect in every way (as have been all my old rescue dogs). I take her out to the local fenced-in schoolyard every night to run -- she runs her legs off for five minutes and is ready to go home and konk out for the night.
So, while I understand your concern about your dogs if you happen to go first, please dont let that deter you from having more dogs. In fact, adopting older rescues yourself is a great idea!
I have had my share of vet bills especially this last year. I am lucky because the vets here do not charge as much as they do in other areas. I just paid $250 for surgery for my JRT who had 2 lumps removed and checked for cancer. My yorkie just had ACL surgery $500 for that. Thank goodness I have savings but they are good about letting me pay on it a little at time if I choose to do that. I am not going to replace all my dogs or cats when they go to the bridge but I do plan to at least have at least one dog and one cat.
It is said that having a pet helps you stay young(er) and they are a lot of company.
I have had no plans to go looking for another animal to adopt. But my decisions will continue to be saving a life when I'm the one who can do it. For example, two months ago an abandoned kitten arrived and sat outside my lanai in pouring rain. She was calmly asking for help and she got it. She's fitting into our home just fine along with three other cats, a 21yr old female, an 11yr old male and a 10yr old male. My 18yr old cat died a few months ago and this kitten nicely fills her spot.
It would be a senseless waste of time and energy for me to worry about living another 20yrs (I'm 65) which could be this kitten's life span. While thinking like that, I could worry about me living another ten years while the two males reach twenty. I will never think about rehoming them because I may die before them. It's day to day doing all I can to keep them healthy and happy.
I have had no plans to go looking for another animal to adopt. But my decisions will continue to be saving a life when I'm the one who can do it. For example, two months ago an abandoned kitten arrived and sat outside my lanai in pouring rain. She was calmly asking for help and she got it. She's fitting into our home just fine along with three other cats, a 21yr old female, an 11yr old male and a 10yr old male. My 18yr old cat died a few months ago and this kitten nicely fills her spot.
It would be a senseless waste of time and energy for me to worry about living another 20yrs (I'm 65) which could be this kitten's life span. While thinking like that, I could worry about me living another ten years while the two males reach twenty. I will never think about rehoming them because I may die before them. It's day to day doing all I can to keep them healthy and happy.
I wonder about this too. But the shelter from which I adopted my kitty has a plan where if someone leaves them as a beneficiary in some type of money account like and IRA or savings of some sort, they will take the deceased person's pet in for life or try to find it a home depending up the wishes of the donor.
I would rather leave whatever I don't use of my IRA and annuity to this wonderful no-kill shelter than anyone in my family; none of them need the money as much as the animals.
i have had pets, primarily cats although we had one precious dog who literally dropped on our doorstep, for over 45 years. yes, they are expensive,extra work, restricting if you want to travel, and yet, i can't imagine life without their warmth, companionship, unconditional love, and in some cases, soulfulness. in the brief periods of time when i didn't have a pet, i felt more free when i traveled, but i missed the comfort of their presense on an everyday basis. when my current pets are gone, and i dread that day, i don't know if i will have another pet, but my adoptions in the last 8 years have been older pets with a more limited longevity. my guess is that i will continue to do that.
i do feel that part of being a responsible pet owner is planning for that animal's care or euthanasia if you pre-decease your animals. many animals end up in shelters because owners have died without a plan for them. some owners, as i have done, have made a plan for animals a part of their will. animals are at the mercy of humans and i feel if we take on the responsibility of ownership, that extends to making a plan if you can no longer care for them. the best plan you may be able to make is euthanasia, but there are certainly many worse fates for animals than death.
I wonder about this too. But the shelter from which I adopted my kitty has a plan where if someone leaves them as a beneficiary in some type of money account like and IRA or savings of some sort, they will take the deceased person's pet in for life or try to find it a home depending up the wishes of the donor.
I would rather leave whatever I don't use of my IRA and annuity to this wonderful no-kill shelter than anyone in my family; none of them need the money as much as the animals.
That's an excellent plan, Minervah. Since I am now 1,000 miles away from friends and shelters I've worked with and the nearest relative cannot be trusted, I do need a new plan. I've already talked with volunteer cat rescuers at Petco about their organization and earlier today viewed a shelter mentioned by Alley Cat Allies. I'll come up with something. Give your kitty an extra hug from me and my bunch!
That's an excellent plan, Minervah. Since I am now 1,000 miles away from friends and shelters I've worked with and the nearest relative cannot be trusted, I do need a new plan. I've already talked with volunteer cat rescuers at Petco about their organization and earlier today viewed a shelter mentioned by Alley Cat Allies. I'll come up with something. Give your kitty an extra hug from me and my bunch!
It is said that having a pet helps you stay young(er) and they are a lot of company.
The same is said about having children. With five of my own and two stepchildren, I'm still waiting for the process to start!
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