Patch Pets: Getting Better With Age

It’s a "dog-eat-dog" world out there, especially for older pets up for adoption.

“People don’t always think right away about adopting a dog when he or she is no longer a puppy,” said Anthony Angioletti, shelter manager at North Shore Animal League in Port Washington. 

That's despite the fact that older dogs can sometimes be a better fit for a family than puppies, according to Angioletti. “Especially when it comes down to time because there’s typically a lot less training involved with an older dog than a puppy,” he said.

According to Angioletti, many of these older pets come already house broken and past the teething stage, "which means they won't chew up the furniture in a home."

Still, ease of training is just one reason area residents’ should consider adopting a pet that's reached maturity.

“They’re used to being around other animals for one ... With the weather getting nice it’ll be much easier to bring an older pet to the dog run,” Angioletti said.

With the "older is better" motto in mind, we'd like to introduce Diego and Wilbur — two dogs up for adoption at NSAL.

Wilbur is a year-old retriever-terrier mix, rescued from a local municipal shelter.

“As terriers often are, Wilbur is highly energetic and extremely smart,” said Jayne Vitale, communications outreach associate at NSAL. “He’ll do best in a home with an experienced dog owner, and a household with older children and other canine playmates."

Playmates like Diego, another year-old Terrier who was also rescued from a local shelter.

“Diego is extremely personable and energetic, ” Vitale said. “So he'll need regular exercise to keep him fit, healthy and happy."

To get info on how to adopt Diego or Wilbur, call North Shore Animal League America at 516-883-7575. NSAL, one of the largest "no-kill" shelters in the U.S., is located at 25 Davis Ave. in Port Washington.