Genesee Animal Control waives adoption fees for senior pets throughout November

GENESEE COUNTY, Mich.—In honor of Adopt a Senior Pet Month, Genesee Animal Control is waiving adoption fees for all senior dogs and cats throughout November, aiming to find loving homes for their older animals.

Hannah Peterson, Social Media Specialist at Genesee Animal Control, explained the motivation behind this initiative.

“November is Adopt a Senior Pet Month, which is really exciting because we do have a good number of senior dogs and cats available right now,” Peterson shared.

“And we are really excited to just waive the adoption fee for the entire month of November for these seniors. You know, the shelter is no place for a senior pet to be. It’s, you know, no place for any pet, but especially for seniors.”

Although adoption fees are waived, Genesee County residents adopting a dog are required to pay a $10 license fee.

“Other than that, adoption fees are going to be completely waived for them,” Peterson noted.

Peterson says many potential adopters hesitate to adopt older pets due to their age.

“A lot of people, you know, just because they are nearing maybe those end-of-life years, people are a little uncomfortable with that or, you know, they want to get a pet that they can grow with, which we totally understand,” she said. “But, you know, these seniors need love too. And I think it’s such a rewarding experience to adopt a senior and to give that pet some really great, you know, couple last years of their life.”

For those considering adoption, senior pets can be an appealing choice for their relaxed and gentle nature.

“Seniors typically are going to be your more relaxed, calm, gentle dogs, which is awesome,” Peterson explained. “If you’re looking for a couch potato, typically a senior is going to fit that description for you A lot of them are truly just happy to get into a home where they can, you know, be cozy and get love and just, you know, join you for your, you know, Netflix marathons and, you know, just all that good stuff.”

Among the available senior pets are dogs like Amber, who came to the shelter over the summer.

“She is very sweet. She loves everybody she meets,” Peterson said. “She needs to be the only dog in the home, which makes it a lot harder to find her placement.”

Another senior dog, Barry, has impressed the shelter staff with his intelligence. “He knows so many commands very just fun loving and silly and very loving and he is super smart,” Peterson added.

Peterson also highlighted the opportunity for community members to get involved through volunteering or fostering, especially as the holiday season brings increased activity to the shelter.

“If anyone wants to join our team as far as volunteering, fostering and then, of course, adopting, definitely check us out,” she said.