Summer is a magical time. It can be surprisingly easy to forget your troubles and certainly forget school as the days go by. It’s no wonder that summer is a time where people consider getting a pet. Spring fever has resulted in an influx of puppies and kittens, and the departure from the normal routine seems like the perfect time for a new addition to the family. If you feel the urge to hear the pitter-patter of furry feet, you might want to think of all the options out there in terms of pets.
This past weekend I had the luxury of enjoying some sun and relaxation on the banks of Pickwick Lake with a friend. Along for the ride and the rays was her newly adopted friend, Shelby Jolene. Shelby has only been a part of my friend’s life for a few weeks but has clearly become part of the family. Following her human around, keeping a watchful eye out, always eager to please, you would have thought that Shelby had spent her whole life at my friend’s side.
The truth of the matter is Shelby Jolene has had a much different life from the lakeside naps she now takes. Before becoming my friend’s loving shadow, Shelby lived eight years, some much harder than others. When my friend first met Shelby, she had spent the latter part of her years in a basement of a family that had grown too quickly and forgotten about her. Her health had greatly deteriorated, her tail almost completely bald and her body rail thin. She had been overlooked in her cage as people were drawn to the furry puppies and their playful antics. Her outcome was bleak. To Shelby, my friend was more than just a new owner, she was her savior, her light in the dark.
Adopting an older pet is one of the most rewarding things a person can do. Not only do you get the perks of bypassing the training and chewing stage of a puppy, but you get a pet that forms a bond with you deeper than any other. Without you they would be alone, scared and hurt. With you they get a second a chance at life and happiness. You are a direct link in their freedom from the cage, or worse, and they are forever grateful for you. The love a rescued pet, especially an older rescue, has for its owner is truly special.
So if the dog days of summer have you longing for a furry companion, don’t forget about the older faces in the crowd. They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but an old dog is certainly ready, and eager, to love again.
Anna Rush is a law student from Hattiesburg. She graduated from Mississippi State University in 2011. Follow her on Twitter @annakrush.
