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RSPCA SA’s affectionate senior animals keep senior citizens young at heart

As American actress Bette Davis famously said, “Getting old is not for sissies”, but getting old is definitely easier when you share your home with a loving companion. With this in mind, RSPCA South Australia is hoping its current promotion of the four-legged variety will resonate with our community’s senior citizens.

The organisation has launched a “Golden Oldies” adoption campaign, with a mission to find loving homes for the more senior animals residing at its Lonsdale shelter. Many of these animals arrived at the shelter in need of veterinary care, which they received thanks to funding via community donations. Once their physical ailments were relieved, RSPCA SA’s behaviour team was able to assess their temperaments.

“Some older animals come to us suffering chronic pain due to untreated medical conditions, and to assess an animal’s behaviour when it is enduring pain is both flawed and unfair,” said Sam Margrave, who oversees RSPCA SA’s animal behaviour team.

“The positive transformation in an animal’s behaviour once it is pain-free is often dramatic.

“These older animals just want to be with people and they’re not overly demanding like younger dogs and cats can be, which is why they often make superb companions for older people.

“Give them a comfortable bed, good food and lots of love, and they will provide the constant company that is so well-proven to benefit our wellbeing. You never return to an empty home when you have a pet.”

Thirteen-year-old dog Blaze, nine-year-old cat Angelo, eight-year-old cat Harley (pictured) and seven-year-old Hunter are all testament to the difference good care can bring to how animals feel and therefore behave, and all are now available to adopt.

“Our older animals may sometimes be a little worse for wear, they might be missing some teeth and have a few scars and grey muzzles, but the ones that pass all our adoption checks are truly gems,” said Sam.

“To anyone considering adopting our Golden Oldies, I’d say ignore the years, just look into their eyes – they will melt your heart.” RSPCA SA’s senior animals that are available to adopt can be viewed online: https://adopt.rspcasa.org.au/seniors/