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Animal Life: The Advantages Of Adopting An Older Pet

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Older animals are often overlooked in shelters across the country. This a huge loss for animals and humans. Older pets make excellent companions.

Pets are defined as "older" when they've reached approximately two-thirds of their life expectancy. A standard poodle, for example, has an average lifespan of 12 years. So at 8, he or she is ready to become a card-carrying member of the AARP — that's the American Association of Retired Pets. 

One major advantage of bringing a mature pet into your home is that you already know its size, temperament and personality. Puppies and kittens may be cute, but they require lots of supervision and training. With a mature pet, that's one less thing to worry about when helping them adapt to their new home. 

If you need more convincing, the ASPCA put together thetop 10 reasons to adopt an older dog

Do you have an older pet adoption story? Or just an older pet? Tweet us a picture! 

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