FALLSTON, Md. — An affectionate bully breed with a gentle demeanor, workers display a dog, which remains available for adoption at the Humane Society of Harford County.
“China is eight years old and I believe she came in as a stray so we really don’t have much history on her,” said Erin Long, the marketing & development manager at the shelter.
But it’s China’s long history, the dog’s age, which is working against it.
Shelter cuts fees for golden oldies in Harford County
“I think the challenge with senior pets is that people see an animal, an older animal, that might start to have health problems and they may or they may not,” said Long, “but I think people—they have this misconception that they’re going to fall in love with an older or maybe middle-aged pet or an older pet and they’re not going to have it very long.”
With a growing number of aging animals at the shelter, it got creative---promoting an adoption event with a theme tied to the Oscars, called the Pawscars.
“Let’s turn this into something really fun,” explained Long, “I could see putting stars on the kennel and maybe just doing something really fun.I thought about maybe rolling out a red carpet for the animals.”
The promotion allows any animal six years of age and older, including cats and even guinea pigs, to be adopted at half of their normal rate.
Unlike the Oscars, which will be limited to one star-studded evening, the Pawscars will be continuing throughout the month of March.
It’s a bargain for people interested in picking up a pet with a chance to measure its future in companionship rather than days, months and years.
“Dogs can live 12, 14, 15 years.Cats, same thing, so take a chance on an older pet,” said Long, “I mean they’re kind of my jam.I love an older animal, because what you see is what you get.”
