Far separated from the excitement of the holiday season, February brings us into the heart of winter. Freezing temperatures, short days slowly growing longer, and exactly four weeks long (most years), February needs something to help us get through.
Valentines' Day, Groundhogs Day, and Presidents' Day are nice for the people who get to celebrate them, but for many people, February is a drag. The warm Spring weather is still a way off and waiting for it to arrive brings with it boredom and winter blues, so for our February blog post this year, we wanted to touch on a subject that is sure to bring extra joy and comfort during the long onslaught of winter. That topic is pet ownership.
Before you decide to adopt
There is a lot to consider before you make the decision to adopt a pet, so we’ll start by detailing a few important topics that you should think about before deciding.
First and foremost is what type of pet would best fit your lifestyle. A dog is a classic American choice, but a dog also needs a lot of work that other animals don’t need. If you’re an outdoorsy person who takes walks/hikes on a regular basis then a dog might be an appropriate fit, but if you’re more of a homebody who enjoys gardening and reading, then a smaller pet like a bird or cat might be a better fit. Think about your weekly activity calendar and use that to help guide you in your selection process.
Second, think about what resources you have available to help you care for your pet while you’re away from the home. Inevitably, you’ll take a trip or spend a night somewhere other than your home, so make sure you have some people or services in mind that can help care for your furry friend while you’re away.
Third, make sure that pet adoption is a financially sound idea. All pets have different associated costs, and some will always be more expensive than others, so consider things like their food, vet visits, litter, cage, toys, etc. before adopting.
Fourth, consider where you want to adopt a pet from. While breeders offer fancy specific breeds, they often cost a lot of money. Shelters and animal rescues on the other hand are brimming with animals waiting to be adopted by a loving person and they often only cost as much as their vaccines. Another shelter benefit is that they may allow you to foster a pet before adopting so that you can get a taste of life with your new furry friend and feel better prepared for the years ahead.
Fifth and final point that I want to mention is that when selecting a pet to adopt, please keep the age of the pet in mind. While the puppies and kittens are cute, they come with growing pains (more than I can list in this blog post). If you’re not intimidated by the extra work that comes with a baby animal then go for it, but lots of older animals are looking for a home too, and they often come socialized, potty trained, and with a much more tolerable level of energy. Long and short – don't discount a good senior pet when considering adoption!
For your health
So now that we’ve reviewed some considerations to think about before adopting, lets shift gears and talk about the direct health benefits of adopting a pet as an older adult!
Older adults face health issues related to social isolation more than any other demographic in the US. Alleviating these issues can be daunting, as going out and meeting new people on your own is mentally draining. A way to ease this drain and get you out to meet new people is through pets. Pet owner communities online and in person will welcome you with open arms, and you already have an icebreaker to get conversations started with your peers. Adding to this, spending time at home becomes much less lonely with a furry friend around, and the routine that pets need can help structure your life if you’ve found difficulty doing so. Who wouldn’t feel less isolated when they’re greeted by a loving animal every morning when they wake up and every day when they walk through the front door?
Moving onto the physical health side of pet ownership benefits – forming a bond with a pet is linked to decreased blood pressure, decreased cholesterol, improved cognition, and many other physical health benefits. For people with good mobility, a dog will likely lead you to increase physical health through walking more often. These physical and mental health benefits are hard to replicate through other means, so if you needed another reason to look into adoption, your health is a big one.
Commitment Shy?
If you find joy spending time with animals, but you don’t want to commit to full adoption, there are a litany of options that you can still consider. The first and most obvious one is volunteering at an animal rescue/shelter, they are always looking for people to help walk the dogs, socialize the kittens and puppies, and help with feeding, so check in with your local shelter and see what they offer in terms of volunteer options.
Another popular choice is cat cafes. These coffee shops house plenty of friendly kitties that you can play with while enjoying a delicious beverage, and some even allow you to adopt the cats if you want. Cat cafes have popped up all over the place, so a quick google search should point you to the nearest location for you to check out.
Finally, there are groups in most towns that get together for bird watching, which is one of the most indirect ways to incorporate animals into your life with no long term commitment to raising them. These groups will allow you to meet peers with a similar interest which will introduce healthy routine and socialization into your life without needing to worry about the tasks associated with ownership.
We hope this long cold February wasn’t too difficult for you. Even though the frigid air and constant snow was unrelenting, the warmer weather is closer now than when I started writing this post. Before you know it, you’ll be back outside in the sunshine, and maybe this year you’ll find yourself accompanied by a new furry friend to enjoy it with.
Sources