PetKnows

A guest post by Best In Flock

If you’re looking to adopt a dog or cat, you probably have plenty of people urging you to visit a shelter before going to a breeder, but even then the temptation to take home a tiny little puppy or kitten can be overwhelming. Those big innocent eyes, the oversized paws, they all add up to CUTE. But there are plenty of reasons why bringing home an adult shelter animal would be the better choice for your family and your lifestyle.

The Animal Welfare League of Arlington lists some great reasons to adopt an older dog or cat instead of a puppy or kitten:

• No puddles to clean up: Older pets are usually housetrained. You won’t have to go through the difficult stage of teaching a puppy house manners and mopping up after accidents. Adult cats already know what the litter box is for.
• No surprises: Unlike baby animals, older pets have grown into their size and personality. Baby animals can grow up to be quite different from what they seemed at first.
• No 2:00 am wake-ups: Mature pets let you get a good night’s rest; they don’t require ‘round the clock attention.
• No guilt: Senior pets are usually content to snooze at home while you’re at work.
• Lots of love: What senior pets may lack in energy, they make up for in affection and loyalty.

Are you ready to provide a great home to a deserving adult pet? Visit Petfinder.com to locate adoptable animals near you.

The author of this post adopted her parrot Stewie (age unknown) from the Animal Welfare League of Arlington. She blogs about caring for parrots - some of which can live up to 80 years old - on her bird blog Best in Flock.