Keeping Senior Dogs out of Shelters

There are many reasons that senior dogs end up in shelters. Some of them were the pets of elderly people who died or had to move to an assisted living facility that won’t allow dogs and the extended family either won’t take the dog or there is no family to assume responsibility for the dog. Or, the dog has health issues the family doesn’t want to deal with or doesn’t have the financial means to do so. In other situations, there is a change is family situation such as a move, a divorce or the birth of a new baby and they decide they don’t want the burden of an old dog. 

Regardless of the reason why a poor old dog winds up in a shelter, one thing is clear: most of them were cherished companions at one time and they do not understand why they are no longer with their people.

Shelters are no place for senior dogs. Old dogs don’t fare well in shelter environments due to the trauma and stress.  And, seniors are much more difficult to adopt out than younger dogs.

 

What can you do? 

Here are some ideas for how you can do your part to keep seniors out of shelters:

  • Adopt a senior dog from a shelter.
  • Or, if you’re unable to adopt, consider fostering. In the case of senior dogs, fostering is an especially great option because in most instances, the rescue organization will cover the medical costs associated with taking care of a senior dog. They provide financial support and you provide the love and security the dog deserves!
  • If adopting or fostering aren’t right for you, you could visit your local shelter and become a volunteer. Shelters do what they can to help the senior dogs in residence but volunteers are always welcome. You could walk dogs, or just hang out with them and let them know you care about them.
  • Send a donation to a senior dog rescue. They depend on donations in order to be able to prevent senior dogs from having to go into a shelter, and to rescue senior dogs from shelters.

Dog owner death planning: Who will care for your beloved pet when you die?

If you are like most pet owners, the last thing you ever want is for your pet to be without a loving caretaker if you end up outliving them. The sad reality is that according to Best Friends Animal Society, approximately 10 percent of animals in shelters are there because of the death or illness of their caretaker. That’s why it’s so important to have a “plan b” for our animal companions!

There are several ways to make sure that your beloved pet is taken care of when you are no longer able to do so. This site HERE is a great place to start as you create your “plan b”. This site is also an excellent resource for helping every pet owner make sure furry family members are well cared for in the event of their human’s death.

No Dogs Allowed? Helpful Tips for Finding Dog-friendly Housing

One of the potential drawbacks of renting a house or an apartment is dealing with pet restrictions.

Property owners often have good reasons for not wanting dogs on rental properties. For example, damage resulting from irresponsible dog owners may have soured the owner toward renting to people with animals forever.

Though finding a pet-friendly rental is not always easy, it is possible. Here are some ideas and resources:

  • JustShelter.org has a search engine where you can find organizations working hard to preserve affordable housing, prevent eviction, and reduce family homelessness.
  • People With Pets has a search engine where you can find pet-friendly apartments in your area.
  • Pet Friendly Senior Living has a search engine where you can find housing for seniors where they can live with their animal companions.
  • Rent.com also has a way to filter to see pet-friendly apartments.
  • Check with your local homeless shelter (google “homeless shelters near me”, and ask if they have a pet-friendly housing list available to help you find a new home for your entire family, including your pets.
  • Try to negotiate with potential landlords. Offer to pay a pet deposit or pet rent. Here are some other ideas for communicating with cautious prospective landlords.
  • See if you can qualify to designate your dog as a service animal or emotional support animal. The Fair Housing Act ensures that an individual with a mental illness or mental disability does not experience housing discrimination because of their need for an emotional support animal or service animal. Housing providers must instead provide reasonable accommodations for these individuals and are not allowed to charge the individual any type of fee, such as pet deposits.
Apartments with Breed Restrictions

Certain dog breeds and their mixes are not permitted to live in living in certain rentals, regardless of their general pet policies.* That means that even if your dog is a “mutt”, he may be banned, depending on the various dog breeds in his mix. (if you’re unsure of your dog’s breed, get a DNA test done! It is tough to identify a breed or breed mix visually.)

What you can do

Getting around pet and breed restrictions as a renter is an uphill battle, but not impossible. Try writing a pet resume to include with your rental application so potential landlords can get to know your dog as an individual. You can also try offering to pay an extra pet deposit or pet rent or offer to obtain pet insurance. Or, as mentioned above, you could register your pet as an emotional support or service animal.

In any case, always be honest and upfront with potential landlords about dogs you intend to have in your home. It’s always better to get a refusal before you move in than to be evicted due to violating a lease.

*We at KeepYourDog do not endorse any form of breed discrimination. We believe that all breeds deserve loving homes. Each individual dog is just that – an individual – and should be treated as such regardless of breed.

Surrendering Dogs Due to Behavioral Problems: Try these things first!

Is your pet is exhibiting problematic behavioral patterns that are causing you to consider getting rid of him/her? You are not alone, but the good news is that there is hope! There could be many potential causes and many potential solutions to what your dog is experiencing. Here are some things to try first before making the heartbreaking (to you and your dog) decision to surrender!

  1. Talk to your vet about your animal’s behavior. Some behavioral issues can be a symptom of underlying medical issues which can be easily fixed by receiving veterinary care, e.g., biting could be a sign your dog is in pain, and barking when you are not home could be due to anxiety, both of which can often be helped with medical treatment or medication; Incontinence can often be helped by medication, etc.
  2. If your pet’s behavioral pattern is not health-related, take some time to figure out the underlying cause or trigger of your dog’s behavior. For example, biting is a serious issue both for you and your dog. However, there are varying levels of biting and different ways to deal with them, e.g., growling or snapping when someone got near their food or toys versus biting out of pain or fear. If you can address the triggers through training, then there’s a very good chance the behavior will improve.
  3. Consult a trainer or certified behavioral consultant. No matter the age of your dog or whether he or she has received previous training, a professional may be able to help find ways to reduce or eliminate the behavioral issue.
Free dog training resources

Adopt a Pet Training Resources

Dog Gone Good’s Dog Training Blog

Dunbar Academy

GoodPup webinars

K9 of Mine on Youtube

K9 Training Institute

In-person Training

The best way to find an in-person class is through word of mouth.

  • Ask your vet, the local humane society, as well as dog owners in your neighborhood or at the dog park for recommendations.
  • Check with your local Petsmart for dog training classes
  • Search for trainers in your area on the Association of Professional Dog Trainers website and ask if they teach classes. (The APDT doesn’t screen its members, but it encourages them to use humane methods and to keep up with the latest thinking in dog training and behavior.)
Virtual Training Resources (fees vary)

Dog Gone Good Dog Training offers live online dog training sessions.

GoodPup offers 1:1 training over video chat with a vetted and certified trainer. You can also access your trainer outside of sessions should any questions come up.

Is rehoming an option?

In some cases, rehoming your dog may be an option. Your dog’s safety or quality of life may be low in your home but thrive in another home (for example, a dog who has bitten a child may not be able to live in your home anymore, but may be successful in a home without children). Or perhaps you don’t have the time or money to modify your dog’s behavior, but it’s reasonable for someone else to be able to do so. For rehoming information and resources, please go HERE.