How To Safely Adopt An Older Dog While Avoiding A New Haven Dog Bite Injury

November is National Adopt A Senior Pet Month when anyone who is looking to adopt a pet, in this post we’ll be talking about specifically adopting a dog, is encouraged to give a home to a senior dog. It won’t come as a surprise that most people when they go to adopt an animal are looking for a younger pet so they can have a nice long life with the family who is adopting them. However, this tends to leave senior dogs out of the adoption mix and there is absolutely no shortage of senior dogs that are ready to be adopted.

It is for this reason that during this month folks are encouraged to adopt a senior dog if they are looking to add to their family. There are so many wonderful reasons to adopt a senior dog, but there are also some negatives that need to be discussed as well. You would not want to adopt a dog of any kind, let alone a senior dog only to get her/him home and realize that you are experiencing a New Haven dog bite as a result of the animal’s behavior. This is especially true if the dog is OK with you, but is not interacting with strangers well and therefore could become a liability for you.

For this reason, it is important to understand the history of the dog you are adopting and also to think about some of the challenges that are presented by adopting an older dog. When you think about adopting a puppy there are certain considerations like being able to get the dog to obey commands and avoiding bathroom accidents in your home or in other people’s homes. These are all considerations that you may need to be thinking about if you adopt a puppy or a very young dog, but you may be OK with these if you are adopting a senior dog.

With that said, there are a number of considerations you should keep in mind if you’re thinking about adopting a senior dog. While not all of these will apply to the animal you are considering, it is important to have a clear expectation of what it means to adopt a senior dog and how that might impact your day to day routine as well as the chances that the dog may cause you or others harm when you bring the pet home for the first time or for years after that.

1.) Decreased senses. Many senior dogs experience a decrease in their vision or hearing which happens to most animals and humans as they age. In dogs, this can cause them to become more startled and anxious when they are approached which could lead to a higher frequency of erratic behaviors including biting. While you may be able to handle this with the dog in your home, it may become a problem when strangers are approaching the animal. In most cases it can be hard to tell if a pet is older or not and so you will need to be diligent in letting others know that the dog does not see or hear well so she/he startles easily. If you are paying attention to this and reminding others to as well you should be OK, but if not, problems may arise.

2.) Irritability due to pain and discomfort. It is not uncommon for animals to experience pain and discomfort similar to the way humans might as we age. Dogs can experience arthritis, dental pain or other problems that may cause them discomfort or pain. In the event that you senior dog is experiencing some of these issues she/he may become irritable and protective of their personal space. Sometimes when this happens with dogs they turn to aggressive behaviors including biting. If your dog that you bring home is experiencing any of these issues you may want to keep her/him protected from interactions with other pets or humans.

3.) Cognitive decline. Many humans experience this as they age and it is also common in dogs. Cognitive declines like you might see in a human patient with dementia can lead to confusion and disorientation with your animal. If this is the case it can be very difficult to introduce your pet to new environments and therefore it may make sense to keep her/him from interacting too often with strangers and strange places. Just as with humans, dogs with this type of cognitive decline may become irritable and disorientated which could lead to aggressive behavior. If this happens, you may need to keep an eye on the severity of the behavior and then seek attention from a vet to discuss options.

Adopting a senior pet during National Adopt A Senior Pet Month is one of the most humane things you can do and if you have the capacity and the compassion to do it you will be giving an older pet a new lease on life. That being said, this type of adoption may come with the risk of being involved in a New Haven dog bite injury if you do not take the dogs age seriously and address any needs as they arise in a timely manner. If you are able and willing to adopt a senior dog there are many places you can turn including the Friends of the New Haven Animal Shelter for some details on how you can start the process of giving an old dog a new home.

Whether you’re a pet owner or someone who has interacted with a senior dog you may need to speak someone if you’ve been bitten by an animal to review your situation. Contact our office and one of our experienced attorneys will review your situation and work with you to protect your long-term interests.