November is adopt-a-senior-pet month, so there's no time like the present to welcome an older dog or cat into your home. While there might be challenges, there are also many benefits to adopting a senior pet.

"Senior dogs have so much heart and soul," says Seattle pet photographer Emily Rieman, who has adopted two senior dogs -- Libby (now passed) and Lily -- from Seattle area shelters. "They have a wisdom that I find so compelling and you know when you adopt a senior that you are truly doing a good thing, because for some reason, seniors are hard for shelters to place.

"With Libby, everyone could see how old she was and would ask about her age and when they found out we'd just adopted her they'd exclaim, 'How wonderful of you...she's so lucky!' But we were the lucky ones -- lucky to have her if even for a short while."  

There are challenges that come with adopting a senior pet, particularly health issues, but as Rieman points out, "There can be ailments like arthritis I suppose, but truthfully, young dogs can have health issues too, while old dogs can remain very healthy and lively, so I'd never let the fear of health issues stand in the way of adopting a senior dog. However, depending on how old they are, you might have to come to terms with the fact that they might not be around for long. Libby was 13 when we got her, and for a German shepherd-mix, that's old! We knew we had to love her fast because she wouldn't last forever."  

If you are considering adding a new member to your family, the Seattle Humane Society has five reasons for adopting a senior pet:

MELLOW PERSONALITY. Senior pets have fully-formed personalities, so you know what you are getting! Plus, senior pets have just the right level of playfulness for busy families.

ALREADY HOUSE-TRAINED. Senior pets have already learned many of life's lessons.

FIT IN TO YOUR FAMILY QUICKLY. Older pets seem to acclimate more quickly to new settings.

HAVE A LOT OF LOVE TO GIVE. Many of our adopters say that senior pets really seem to appreciate it when they are adopted and bond to their new family more readily than younger pets.

OLD DOGS CAN LEARN NEW TRICKS. With older pets, you don't have to waste time teaching them all the basics -- they already know them! Instead, have fun teaching them new tricks!

Or, like Rieman, discover tricks your dog already knows. Nine-year-old Lily -- adopted from Beagle Rescue -- responds to commands by hand signals, which was only just discovered at a recent photo shoot

If you are interested in learning more about adopting a senior dog or cat, these organizations are a great place to start:  

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