Brodie pretty in pink
Terri Webster Schrandt

Sunday Stills: All About #Pets

While selecting November’s Sunday Stills themes, I discovered that the entire month is “Adopt a Senior Pet Month.” Awww.

The first week in November is National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week, so why not make this challenge All About Pets?

We had a similar photo challenge in April (It’s a Dog’s Life) which was a very popular post and a testament to your love for your pets!

My public service announcement about National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week includes this plea for donations. Any time of year, most animal shelters need donations of food, old linens, and your volunteer time. Materials are tax-deductible and provide a good excuse to clean out your closet!

Shopping cart for donations

In California, as wildfires rage across the state, many animal shelters are filling up with lost, surrendered and injured pets. Now, more than ever, donations are needed.

Sadly, many families that become displaced from their homes cannot keep their pets and reluctantly surrender them to the nearest shelter. This is a wonderful opportunity to adopt a rescued animal. The need is such that often, the shelters will reduce their adoption fees or charge nothing in order to place as many pets into new homes as possible.

I have many friends who have adopted older dogs and cats over the years and the animals were happy to have a new forever home. My brother and his daughters occasionally walk dogs at the local animal shelter and have adopted one or two dogs as a result. Sure, puppies are fun, new and wiggly, but a LOT of work. An older dog is already housebroken and brings with it the wisdom of its life.

Fellow blogger and friend, Liesbet, of Roaming About describes her and her husband’s heartwarming adoption of Maya.

The Benefits of Adopting an Older Dog

  • Older dogs usually come leash-trained and understand basic commands.
  • Older dogs are calmer and less energetic than younger dogs and have an established demeanor and temperament, which will give you an idea of how it will fit into your household.
  • Older dogs make instant loyal companions and are ready to accompany you on a long walk. Source

Remembering my sweet old dog Oreo as he neared the end of his life in 2011.

Black Dog Oreo

All pet lovers will appreciate the unconditional love our beloved pets give us. Pets that are in the incarnation of a parrot, fish, reptile, or (gasp!) tarantula instinctively know and love the hands that feed and care for them, even if they don’t always demonstrate it with snuggles and open affection.

Woman and parrot

As I age, I appreciate each day I spend with my sweet dogs, Aero (9 yrs) and Brodie (almost 3 yrs). I can count on one hand the number of years Aero has left with me on this earth. He is a fun dog and we make the most of it! But as you can see, like many seniors, a nap is imminent!

collage of Sleepy Aero

Brodie, who is close to three years old, destroyed shoes, underwear, furniture, ate (and pooped) socks, drove us crazy at 12 months when he was neutered, well…you get the idea. Aero took his teeth-cleaning in stride at age 7 and was mellow!

Dogs resting
Brodie and Aero enjoying a morning at the dog park.
Brodie pretty in pink

I expect this one to be around for another 12 years!

November is Adopt a Senior Pet month and although I cannot take part in this now, I can hope that others will. Hubby and I are retiring to Washington state within the next two years and plan to buy a larger property with room for more than two dogs to run. Until that time, I will imagine the love and forever home I can give to an older dog.

Please visit these bloggers who were new to the Sunday Stills photo challenge in October! Reflections of an Untidy Mind and Photo Poeme

This week, share your photos, stories, poems, and other creative ideas as we celebrate pets of all ages and the important roles animal shelters play in our communities!

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64 comments

  14. I love this post, Terri, as my husband and I are sharing our lives with 2 older rescues. As we age ourselves, we tentatively plan to do senior rescues…we got these 2 when they were about a year old. I hope to post to this later in the day, if not, tomorrow. The garden calls.

    Liked by 2 people

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  15. Hi, Terri – Thank you for helping to create further awareness of Adopt a Senior Pet Month. Richard and I are regular volunteers at our local animal shelter. I agree with your list of all that a senior dog has to offer. In addition, they are often the dogs that need adoption the most!

    Liked by 2 people

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  21. What a great cause, Terri. Many of the supermarkets in the UK also have a place where shoppers can leave tins of pet food, pet toys and treats. I always add an item to the donation box after shopping.
    Donations to dog charities are also always appreciated. Anything that Toby and Austin no longer need goes to the local animal shelter.

    Hope you’re not being affected by the wildfires in your part of the world.
    Stay safe.

    Liked by 3 people

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    • I’m always glad to read about how everyone seems to care for their pets and still donate to pet charities, Hugh. Most of the wildfires have been contained and no storms or wind are on the horizon, but we need the rain, so hopefully we’ll see some rain by our Thanksgiving in a few weeks. Thanks Hugh, for your concern and all you do for pets!

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  23. Ya know… I really like people who like to adopt dogs from animal shelters 🙂 Our daughter once brought a dog home from the SPCA and he had been abused. He was part German Shepard part Rottweiler. Did you know he ended up being *the best dog ever*!! We really lucked out – all he was looking for was a loving family and we gave it to him. My husband, who had grown up with all kinds of dogs during his childhood, loved this 125 lb fellow the best – he named Dermott by my daughter. At first I thought Dermott was a mangy o’ raga-muffin but I was happily proved wrong. Whenever I walked with him, I felt so safe! Sadly he died of cancer at the young age of 4, and my husband has asked that Dermott’s ashes be spread with his one day.

    I love the idea of adopting an older dog who is already poddy trained and hopefully socialized.

    The thought of having property in Washington State and getting to have more dogs sounds like a piece of heaven!

    Susan Grace

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  24. What an enlightening and supportive and caring post, Terri! I hope you’ve encouraged at least one reader to adopt a senior dog! And, of course, thank you for the shout out. As I was reading your post, I was thinking “hey, that’s what we did, adopt an adult dog”, so you can imagine my surprise when I stumbled across your blurb and link about that event. 🙂

    Your future property sounds like the perfect place for a few dogs (and other) animals! Have a nice rest of the week.

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  28. I’m a late-comer but could not resist this post. My husband and I have rescued all but our first dog. We will never do it any other way. As we are getting up there (have gotten) ourselves, we plan on now choosing senior dogs. Thanks for this prompt. This is my first Sunday Stills, though I’ve enjoyed viewing them over the years.

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  32. It’s always sad when animals are separated from their owners. You can see the sadness all over their faces and even in their body language. My nephew and his family found a beautiful stray dog and took her in. They tried to find the owners but no luck. One day when his wife was picking up her son from school, they found the owners!

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