September 17th

By Mutt Mulligan

It’s “Adopt-a-Less-Adoptable-Pet” Week

For a certain pet population – older animals, big black dogs and animals with special needs – the wait for a forever family can be a long one. But the adoption website Petfinder is  trying to change that by drawing attention to these animals during “Adopt-a-Less-Adoptable-Pet” Week, Sept. 17-23.

According to Petfinder, 99% of its shelters and rescue groups report having adoptable pets that are having a harder time finding a home. The survey shows these “less-adoptable” pets wait for a home nearly four times longer- for as long as two years in some cases – than the average pet does.

Survey results show that older pets are the hardest to adopt, followed closely by pets with behavioral issues, victims of breed prejudice, shy pets, those with medical needs, and pets that should be only pets.

However, these populations can make wonderful pets. Senior dogs, for instance, are house trained, are through their chewing phase, and, unlike with a puppy, what you see is what you get at adoption time. Also, senior dogs are typically well-mannered and don’t need as much time and energy as a puppy.

TurfMutt, who was adopted himself, encourages anyone considering a pet to consider adoption first! For tips on adopting the right pet for your home, visit www.petfinder.com.