Elderly pets finally feel the puppy love - by Amy Sacks, New York Daily News - Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals, Inc. - Working with the City of New York to promote dog and cat adoption and spay and neuter programs to make New York a no-kill city.

Home > The Alliance in the News > 2007 Alliance News Items > Elderly pets finally feel the puppy love

Elderly pets finally feel the puppy love

Saturday, February 10, 2007

With Valentine's Day around the corner, it's never too late — even for senior pets — to get struck by Cupid's arrow.

Lucky and Caruso were only puppies when they landed at a rundown Long Island animal shelter 15 years ago. Their days were spent in metal cages and roaming cement hallways.

But now, the elderly shepherd-husky mixes are free — and able to live the remainder of their lives in a loving home.

"I just look at them and am so sad that somebody didn't save them sooner," said Fran Cohen, 42, who finalized Lucky and Caruso's adoption from the Freeport Humane Society two weeks ago, after fostering the striking duo since Christmas.

Cohen, who volunteers with her husband, Todd, 42, at the Little Shelter in Huntington, L.I., spotted Lucky and Caruso at the Freeport shelter while checking up on a 7-year-old German shepherd named Thunder, that she heard was in need of medical care.

"I went home but couldn't stop thinking about [the three of] them," said Cohen, who first adopted Thunder and then began her fight to adopt Lucky and Caruso. "I didn't want them to die in a shelter."

Lucky and Caruso were among a handful of dogs the Freeport shelter considered "house dogs" — that were never put up for adoption. A former shelter volunteer, who asked not to be identified, suggested the former management team thought they were too cute to let go.

In early 2006, the Freeport Humane Society came under fire by humane organizations which charged that the privately owned shelter's previous board of directors, which has since been ousted, was disorganized and using outdated procedures. The chief complaint was the use of antiquated carbon monoxide gas chambers to euthanize animals.

The shelter is now being run by a new management team, which Cohen feels hopeful will work to promote adoptions and take better care of the animals.

Today, with their constrained past behind them, Lucky, Caruso and Thunder are fast adjusting to their new home. Their days are now spent romping in the yard, and sleeping and playing with Cohen's three other rescued dogs: Chloe, 11, a collie mix; Bailey, 10, a chow mix; Sean, a 5-year-old rottweiler - and Cohen's two small children.

Although Lucky is still timid and a bit arthritic, none of the dogs shows any signs of aggression and they are easy to care for.

In fact, Cohen favors adopting older dogs and has never had a puppy. "There are so many out there to rescue," she said, and because older dogs have less energy than puppies, they aren't as draining.

Joan Antelman, who is from Manhattan, agrees. Her free newsletter, "Senior Pets – All They Need is Love," is dedicated to finding homes for older cats and dogs. (For a free copy, you can e-mail her at seniorpetsnyc@aol.com).

The spring issue, out in March, features Marvin, a 12-year-old deaf poodle. Antelman recently helped place a sickly 9-year-old English bulldog. The dog may not have much time left, says Antelman, "but so what? Young dogs also get sick, so you just don't know how much time you actually will ever get with your pet," she said.

In an effort to get senior pets adopted, Antelman, who walks senior dogs at the BARC shelter in Williamsburg, posts photos of adoptable senior dogs on craigslist. For a year, she had posted ads for Lucky and Caruso.

Senior cats and dogs are generally calmer, sweet animals that are very happy for any attention they get, she says, and they make fabulous New York City pets.

The older large-breed dogs have the toughest time getting adopted, she added, but rescue groups like Posh Pets specialize in senior adoptions, and many senior dogs and cats can be found on Petfinder.com or at the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals at www.AnimalAllianceNYC.org.

"Someone has to go to bat for these guys who should be living out their retirement years in homes, not shelters," Antelman said.