When I learned that Adopt a Less Adoptable Pet Week is going on now, I knew I had to put together a blog post to share this week-long awareness holiday with all of you. In September 2018 I adopted a senior lab with epilepsy who had been in the shelter for over 13 months. He was definitely considered “less adoptable.” But bringing Burt home was the best decision I could have made!
I’m excited to share some of my reasons for considering the “black sheep” of the animal shelter. Hopefully, this will inspire someone to bring home a pet who really needs a loving home.
Who Are The Less Adoptable Pets?
Petfinder.com launched its first Adopt-A-Less-Adoptable-Pet campaign in 2009 after recognizing that approximately 95% of shelters and rescue groups have a harder time finding homes for certain pets.
“Every day, families walk into shelters or visit Petfinder.com and, perhaps unconsciously, bypass some adoptable pets simply because of the way they look, their age, or because they have a condition such as blindness or deafness,” said Betsy Banks Saul, the co-founder of Petfinder.com.
It’s completely understandable that a lot of people gravitate towards the puppies or the fluffy little dogs that can be found on sites like www.shoppok.com. Who wouldn’t want a Pomeranian? They’re so cute. But a lot of times the “less-adoptable” dogs would be a better fit for their lifestyle.
Less Adoptable Dogs Might Be Better for Your Lifestyle
Puppies are a LOT of work and fluffy dogs need lots of grooming. If you rescue an older dog they might already have some basic training, know how to walk on a leash and be less interested in chewing on things they shouldn’t. And dogs with short hair won’t need expensive haircuts or as much time-consuming brushing.
It’s not just age and cuteness that effects how long a dog waits to be adopted. Some of the qualities that make a dog less adoptable are: if they require meds, breeds with a bad reputation, behavioral issues, dark fur, and if they’re really big.
Looking at that list, Burt checks off almost all of the boxes! Let us set the example of how amazing it is to look outside of what’s considered “adoptable.”
Who Wouldn’t Want a Beautiful Chocolate Lab?
When I walk Burt at the park now and share his story people always ask, “Who wouldn’t want a beautiful chocolate lab?” That’s a good question! But Burt is not only a senior with epilepsy, but he’s also really high energy and mouthy. When I brought him home we spent the first 6 weeks training him to sit and lay down. He was just too excited to be around me and my other dog, Lucy, to do that for a while.
Burt wasn’t the right fit for every family. But I knew when I met him (bouncing off the walls of the meet-and-greet room at his shelter) that he needed exercise, structure, routine and lots of love. I gave him all of that and one year later he’s absolutely perfect (in my eyes)!
When is Adopt a Less Adoptable Pet Week?
According to PetFinder, Adopt a Less Adoptable Pet Week takes place the 3rd week of September each year. They have a lot of resources on their website to help pet lovers and rescues make the most of this awareness holiday.
You can help raise awareness for the awesomeness of less adoptable pets by sharing this post on social media, sharing a pet who’s looking for a home, or even reaching out to your local shelters and seeing if they need volunteer help. Every bit helps!
Enjoy this post? Check out these that I’ve bookmarked for you:
Burt, a Love Story
Deciding to Adopt a Senior Dog
How Acupuncture Benefits Your Senior Dog
Podcast Episode 26: Liz Rubinstein of GingerLead
Take the BEST Photo of Your Dog
Great photos last a lifetime and remind you of every sweet moment with your pup! My free e-book teaches you how to take professional style photos using just your phone.
All photos: Victoria Miller Photography
What a nice post. It is a nice idea to help people realize that adopting a more non-traditional dog may be the perfect companion for their lifestyle. An older dog that is more established and is already potty trained is a lot less stress than potty training a new puppy. (From Dachshund Station)
Yes, thank you for your comment! A lot of people want a dog who will cuddle up on the couch with them, and a senior is perfect for that!
The majority of people looking to adopt just want a fun, friendly companion pet. Responsible sheltering means the shelter does not push dogs with behavioral issues which includes dog aggression and reactivity.
Some people want that, but a lot of people work long hours and want to sit on the couch on their time off. There’s lots of senior dogs who would be a better fit for that lifestyle than an energetic puppy. Responsible sheltering goes both ways.
HELLO SWEET GIRL ,I READ SO MANY STORYS ABOUT OLDER DOGS BEING TAKEN TO SHELTER BECAUSE THEY JUST DON’T PLAY OR HAVE HEALTH ISSUES ,THANK YOU FOR SPEAKING UP ,I HAVE BOTH AND I LOVE MY SEXY SENIORS SO MUCH AND I JUST CRY WHEN SOMEONE POST FROM A SHELTER THAT THEY WERE GIVEN TO THEM BECAUSE THEY WELL HAVE PROBLEMS AND THEY WANT A YOUNGER DOG ,THANK YOU FOR CAREING .
I know, something is wrong with people who give up their older dogs. It’s so sad and makes me want to adopt every one!
Such an important message and one I will definitely remember when I come to adopt again.
Thank you! Sometimes perfectly great dogs just sit and wait. They’re worth giving a chance to!
It is so important to draw attention to those that are sitting in shelters for months if not years waiting for a home, thanks for this great post
Sometimes I just don’t understand why certain dogs spend months and years waiting for a home! I’m happy to be able to use my blog as a way to generate a little bit of awareness!
I really love the idea of helping people realize all the benefits that can come with a senior. I’ve adopted a few dogs who were older than 5, which is when their adoption rate really seems to drop off. They have all been great pets and companions! We need to do as much as we can to spread the word. Good job 🙂
I think adopting “seniors” is the best thing! They’re usually out of the destructive puppy phase, they can hold their pee and usually know how to do some basic things. They’re such wise creatures, we’re lucky to have them!
Awwww, sounds like Burt really lucked out finding his forever home. Thank you for taking the extra time to work with his training. Do you think his high energy is the reason he was given up?
Originally Burt was found as a stray, so there’s no way to know how that happened. A couple months into his stay at Action for Animals he was adopted, but the guy returned him 2 weeks later saying Burt was “untrainable”. Makes me laugh because Burt walks better on a leash than my highly trained purebred lab!
I’m so glad that you also decided to write a post for Adopt a Less Adoptable Pet Week! 🙂 I think it’s the perfect opportunity to encourage others to adopt a dog. So many people just look at puppies or expensive breeds when there are so many dogs waiting at shelters and rescues. Thank you so much for sharing this with the world!
Thank YOU for letting me know it was a thing! It’s so ironic that Burt is “less adoptable” because he’s an awesome chocolate lab. I would think everyone would want him! Hope we can inspire others!
Bless your heart for adopting Burt!!! He is blessed to have you! We have adopted senior dogs in the past…a Husky named Max and a Great Dane we named Duke! Although we only got a couple years with each of them, I am happy we made those years special. ❤❤
There’s nothing better than adopting a dog who really needs a little extra help. This is my first time, but I don’t think I could go back!
Love this!! We adopted our oldest dog from Action for Animals as well. We’ve been blessed to have him in our lives since 2006. Glad I found your blog!
Thank you so much for commenting! So nice to meet another Action for Animals alum : ) Aren’t they just the best?!