Adopt a Less Adoptable Pet Week

This week marks Adopt a Less Adoptable Pet Week, an initiative started by shelter organizations across North America to highlight pets that tend to get overlooked for adoption. These "less adoptable" pets include senior animals, those with special needs or medical conditions, bully breed dogs, black cats and dogs, and bonded pairs that need to be adopted together.

While kittens, puppies and other cute, young pets often get scooped up quickly at shelters, less adoptable animals can wait months or even years to find a loving home. Sadly, some will even be euthanized due to lack of space and resources in overcrowded shelters. But it doesn’t have to be that way. All pets deserve a chance. Adopt a Less Adoptable Pet Week is all about giving these overlooked animals the spotlight they deserve.

Benefits of Adopting a Less Adoptable Pet

There are many rewards to adopting pets that tend to get looked over. Less adoptable animals are often calmer, already house trained, and make very loyal, affectionate companions. Since they’ve been waiting longer for a home, they seem especially grateful when someone gives them a chance.

Senior pets, for example, are lower maintenance than high-energy puppies and kittens. They’re mellower, usually housetrained, and are just as deserving of love. Special needs pets offer the profound reward of making a real difference in that animal’s life. And presumed “scary” breeds like pit bulls and other bully breeds make wonderfully goofy, people-focused pets when raised responsibly. Their often imposing appearance overshadows what sweet hearts most of them have.

Black cats and dogs also tend to linger in shelters, partly due to silly superstitions about them being unlucky. But their beautiful dark coats make stunning additions to any home. And special precautions like indoor-only lifestyles and flea preventatives can help mitigate risks that haunt black-furred pets.

Finally, bonded pairs of animals are sometimes surrendered because their previous owners couldn’t continue caring for two pets. But separating closely bonded animals like siblings or mother-offspring pairs causes significant stress. Giving such pre-bonded pets a home together allows adoption while easing their transition into new homes.

Consider Fostering Overlooked Animals

If you’re unsure about adopting one of the many less adoptable shelter animals, consider short-term fostering instead. Shelters often need temporary homes for pets waiting to be adopted. Fostering gives animals a break from the shelter environment while making them more visible at adoption events and online. It’s also extremely rewarding to help pets get ready for their forever homes.

Fostering senior pets, for example, can allow them to live out their golden years in home comfort instead of shelter cages. Special needs animals receive specialized care and training best done in home settings. Timid pets blossom thanks to socialization opportunities unavailable in noisy, crowded shelters. And pregnant or nursing animals and their offspring receive life-saving care until the babies are weaned and everyone’s ready for adoption.

How to Help Less Adoptable Shelter Animals

If you’re unable to adopt or foster, there are still many ways to make a difference for overlooked shelter pets:

• Share less adoptable animals on social media to boost their visibility
• Volunteer at your local shelter, especially helping socialize less adoptable pets
• Donate supplies like beds, toys, food or cleaning items that help the shelter care for them
• Fund medical care, training or other expenses to help pets become more adoptable
• Ask your local shelter about sponsorship programs to showcase less adopted animals
• Transport pets to offsite adoption events if you have a vehicle
• Take high quality photos of less seen pets to improve their online profiles
• Provide professional services the shelter needs but can't afford, such as grooming, training or vet exams

With a little effort, we can help all shelter pets, not just the cutest kittens and puppies. This Adopt a Less Adoptable Pet Week open your heart and home to the wonderful senior, special needs and misunderstood animals waiting eagerly for someone to see their full potential. By adopting or otherwise helping overlooked pets, you’ll be rewarded with a changed life, whether animal or human.