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GUEST COLUMN
Age before beauty by Dylan Chin-A-Loy I know that there will come a time in my life when I am ready to embark on the responsibility of owning a pet, preferably a dog. I have always envisioned myself going to the pet store or to a breeder and the perfect puppy would run into my arms. All that has changed.
Over the summer I worked at the Humane Society and what I experienced and what I saw has changed my views on getting a pet. I noticed quite quickly that the puppies and kittens were always the first to get adopted and the older dogs and cats were left, waiting for someone to pick them. I now know that what I had envisioned has changed. I will only adopt an unappreciated, lonely, older dog from the Humane Society and I am encouraging others to do this as well.
When people think about getting an older dog from a shelter or Humane Society they think that they will be adopting someone else’s problems. However, most of the time when a dog is dropped off it is not the dog’s fault but the owner’s. The owner can surrender the dog for any reason such as; no time, spouse does not approve, or change in the work schedule. What the Humane Society offers is knowledge and experience matching the right dog to the right owner; whether that is an older couple, a family with young children, or a single person that has to leave the dog alone for hours at a time. The Humane Society prides itself on getting as much background information on the animals as they can and using that information to find the perfect match. A person is not adopting someone else’s problems, they are adopting a new family member.
Training a new dog can be a lot of work but when getting an older dog these basic rules have already been taught. An older dog will most likely be crate trained, house trained and understand basic commands, giving you the ability to help introduce them into your lifestyle with ease. A new puppy requires a lot of work as well as the countless “YIPS and YELPS” will lead to many sleepless nights for the owner, as they introduce the basic training skills to the puppy as well as incorporating the puppy into the family home.
The animals in the Humane Society are seen by veterinarians on a regular basis. They have all of their needles, been spayed or neutered and all their medical needs are looked after. When you adopt an older animal from the Humane Society all their medical information is given to you and you know that you are getting a healthy animal. A new puppy is really a gamble. Many times a puppy’s health problems don’t surface until after the first year and this can be a very unexpected and an expensive surprise to the owners.
I know that adopting an older dog is a decision that I have made for many different reasons, but I hope that after reading this, before you run to the pet store to pick that cute puppy, you might think of all the positive reasons for adopting an older dog, such as training, health, and getting a dog that will be the perfect fit for you and your family. There is also the added bonus of knowing that you have saved a dog from a long and lonely life and at the same time enriched your own life. Adopting an older dog is like reconnecting with an old dear friend.
When people think about getting an older dog from a shelter or Humane Society they think that they will be adopting someone else’s problems. However, most of the time when a dog is dropped off it is not the dog’s fault but the owner’s. The owner can surrender the dog for any reason such as; no time, spouse does not approve, or change in the work schedule. What the Humane Society offers is knowledge and experience matching the right dog to the right owner; whether that is an older couple, a family with young children, or a single person that has to leave the dog alone for hours at a time. The Humane Society prides itself on getting as much background information on the animals as they can and using that information to find the perfect match. A person is not adopting someone else’s problems, they are adopting a new family member.
Training a new dog can be a lot of work but when getting an older dog these basic rules have already been taught. An older dog will most likely be crate trained, house trained and understand basic commands, giving you the ability to help introduce them into your lifestyle with ease. A new puppy requires a lot of work as well as the countless “YIPS and YELPS” will lead to many sleepless nights for the owner, as they introduce the basic training skills to the puppy as well as incorporating the puppy into the family home.
The animals in the Humane Society are seen by veterinarians on a regular basis. They have all of their needles, been spayed or neutered and all their medical needs are looked after. When you adopt an older animal from the Humane Society all their medical information is given to you and you know that you are getting a healthy animal. A new puppy is really a gamble. Many times a puppy’s health problems don’t surface until after the first year and this can be a very unexpected and an expensive surprise to the owners.
I know that adopting an older dog is a decision that I have made for many different reasons, but I hope that after reading this, before you run to the pet store to pick that cute puppy, you might think of all the positive reasons for adopting an older dog, such as training, health, and getting a dog that will be the perfect fit for you and your family. There is also the added bonus of knowing that you have saved a dog from a long and lonely life and at the same time enriched your own life. Adopting an older dog is like reconnecting with an old dear friend.
Dylan is a grade 12 student at St. Marys High School in Kitchener. He is shown with his family dog Zoe.