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Opinion: It Is A Wonderful Thing To Adopt Senior Pets – If You’re Up For A Challenge

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Opinion: It Is A Wonderful Thing To Adopt Senior Pets – If You’re Up For A Challenge
November isn’t just the month for Black Friday sales, travelling, and biding one’s time until the holiday season sets in proper. It has also been designated Adopt a Senior Pet Month, shining the spotlight on ageism, which has long dogged the world of pet adoption.
"It’s a common issue that all pet shelters face. People want younger pets – sometimes, because they feel that younger animals are cuter. Sometimes, because they are worried about medical costs, and that older pets only have a shorter 'runway' before they pass on,"
says Mary Soo, the co-founder and chairman of dog-centric Oasis Second Chance Animal Shelter.
"Some of these are valid concerns, as pets do cost a lot to maintain in Singapore especially once medical costs start to kick in. But these reasons are not enough to dismiss older pets altogether,"
she adds.

"What's even worse is when people are no longer willing to take care of their pets once they’ve reached an advanced age, abandoning them or pushing them into a shelter. To me, that begs the question, 'Why get a pet in the first place? Would you abandon your parents when they are old?'"

Opinion: It Is A Wonderful Thing To Adopt Senior Pets – If You’re Up For A Challenge - OSCAS Dog
Wee Girl, a previous furry resident of OSCAS, was adopted at 13 years old.
Ageism a common problem, regardless of species
Unsurprisingly, volunteers from organisations that care for cats and guinea pigs face a similar reaction from potential adopters.
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A key concern, apart from the spectre of medical costs, is the “energy level” of the pets, which typically correlates with age, says Angeline Teo, a volunteer with feline-focused Project Luni.
Cats are usually considered middle age after they hit 11 years of age. In comparison, dogs are generally considered senior once they’re around seven years old, stretching to 10 for smaller breeds. Guinea pigs often start to show signs of ageing at just four years old.
"Kittens are generally super active compared to senior cats, which are usually less energetic. But just like with humans, cats have a wide spectrum of personalities. There are those that are more affectionate, or require more attention, while there are cats which are happy to be left alone,"
she offers.
It is typically advisable to adopt kittens in pairs, she says, so that the cats can keep each other occupied without constant attention from their owners. Senior cats, on the other hand, can usually be adopted solo.
The best way to find out if a pet matches with your personality and energy levels, she says, is to interact with them at the shelter.
Practical considerations that can’t be ignored, says Mary and Angeline, include the suitability of your home for your potential pet’s personality, as well as its size.
"Our dogs are all socialised and non-aggressive, but they can get excited. That is one thing for seniors to consider when they’re adopting dogs is whether they can keep up physically with their pet,"
she says.
Opinion: It Is A Wonderful Thing To Adopt Senior Pets – If You’re Up For A Challenge - Levi Cat
Senior Scottish Fold cat Levi, 17, was abandoned at a HDB void deck earlier this year. After living with multiple ailments including anaemia, arthritis and a severe heart condition in the home of a fosterer, he passed on in October.
Mind the medical bills
Indeed, these physical challenges are compounded when medical issues begin to manifest in senior pets. Repeated visits to the vet with larger animals in tow poses an obvious challenge for silvers who aren’t as mobile, not counting the time, energy and effort necessary to provide high-quality care.
Amy Lui, a fosterer at Guinea Pig Rescue Singapore, tells SilverStreak that most people are often unaware of just how much work pets require.
Guinea pigs, which “parents often mistakenly purchase for their children thinking that they are low-commitment pets”, need a constant supply of hay to munch on and keep their digestive systems going.
This also means that they must be syringe-fed “every two hours” when they fall sick, a level of care that can be difficult to provide for a silver who has their own job, commitments or personal medical appointments to attend to.
And then there’s the issue of medical costs. Depending on the animal, routine visits to a vet can cost anywhere from around $30 to $50 a pop, while more complicated medical procedures can run into the hundreds of dollars.
Tack on the cost of overnight stays, surgeries and medicine on top of the usual food, shampoo, kitty litter and other fixed costs of owning a pet, and you might end up with a four-figure bill monthly.
"Your personal financial stability is very important when you own a pet. You don’t want to get into a situation where you’re forced to make a decision based on finances instead of providing the best care for your animal,"
says Amy.
Even so, Angeline of Project Luni hopes that those who have the physical and financial resources to spend on senior pets would consider the possibility.
"It can be very fulfilling and meaningful to help a senior cat that is ill, because they are the ones that need the most help and love, and they are also the ones that most people will reject,"
she says.
Should seniors consider senior pets?
Those with the means and volition to devote their time and attention to senior pets can certainly consider it. As we’ve laid out previously, pets can be a great source of companionship in your silver years.
Just remember to put all your personal affairs in order before taking on the challenge of giving a senior pet a better home, including succession planning should your pet outlive you.
Given a proper environment, cats and dogs for example can live well into their senior years. Both OSCAS and Project Luni have fostered plenty of animals more than 15 years of age.
The world’s oldest dog Bobi, a purebred Rafeiro do Alentejo in Portugal, recently passed away at the record-breaking age of 31 years and 165 days, roughly double the breed’s typical life expectancy and about the equivalent of 200 human years.
So, you never know, that older pet could still have many years left in it to keep you company.

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September 13, 2023

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