Did you know that November is National Adopt a Senior Animal Month? Adopting rescue animals can be a wonderful, rewarding experience for everyone involved! You, as the person, gain a new fluffy family member and the animal will have a loving home. If you’re looking into adopting a rescue, consider adopting a senior animal! Despite many misconceptions, there are so many reasons to consider getting a senior animal. And there are so many ways to support senior rescues if you aren’t able to adopt at the moment!

When we first adopted Rooster, he was about seven years old and on the verge of being a senior dog. He’s naturally aged over the years but it’s been such a fun adventure to do even the simple things like taking naps and going to the beach. He’s been a ball of love and joy since the first day we met him and adopting him, even as a senior dog, was one of the best decisions my family has made.

• Man Adopts 8 Senior Dogs, 2 Cats, Ducks, Chickens And A Pot-Bellied Pig For One Life-Saving Reason by Dominique Mosbergen, Huffington Post

Deciding to adopt an animal isn’t a decision to be made lightly and that’s the case for senior animals as well. While there are many important things to keep in mind, there are also many wonderful things to know if you want to adopt a senior animal! For one, these animals need and deserve a loving home just like younger dogs. You may not get to spend 10+ years with a senior animal but you’ll still get some fantastic quality time with them! We, for example, have had almost seven years with Rooster and every single day with him has been absolutely amazing.

Older/senior dogs usually come trained and might even know a few basic commands! And regardless of age, any animal can be trained if you have the time and dedication. Despite the old saying, you can, in fact, teach an old dog new tricks! And the same can be said for older cats too: they can also learn some tricks at any age! Plus, with senior animals, they’ve grown into their personalities, meaning you can better know if the animal is a good fit for your family! Despite the misconception, senior animals might not have been given up for behavioral or health issues and could be amazing companions if given the chance.

• Ten Reasons Senior Cats Rule by Jane Harrell, PetFinder

Do you love senior animals but aren’t able to adopt at the moment? There are other ways for you to help senior rescues that are waiting for their forever homes! For one, you can support local organizations that are specifically aimed at helping senior animals. Old Dog Haven and Senior Dog Rescue of Oregon are two of the many groups that focus on helping senior dogs!

Support for organizations like Old Dog Haven and Senior Dog Rescue can take form in many different ways: you can donate money or raise funds, donate supplies, or even help with community events! You can even sponsor dogs in final refuge homes at Old Dog Haven. Plus, you can support other organizations that focus on rescuing animals of any age. PAWS, for example, has a program called ‘Seniors for Seniors’ that helps senior residents of Washington state find a perfect senior animal companion!