Guest post by Sarah Harris
No one can resist a cuddly little kitten or a fuzzy, playful puppy. They turn those big, sad eyes on us and elicit oohs and ahhs from even the most stalwart of cynics. This is the power of newborns. They’re genetically engineered to be cute so we have no choice but to love them instantly. But if you’re in the market for a furry friend, don’t go straight for the mewling babies. There are several good reasons to consider adopting an older animal instead.

For starters, you should think about why you want to adopt a pet in the first place. Maybe you are seeking companionship, or looking to enhance your life. Or maybe you feel very strongly that animals are not meant to live in cages, and you’re on a mission to save them from the loneliness of living in a shelter (plus inevitable euthanasia). Maybe you just think you are capable of providing a loving home for another creature that might otherwise go unnoticed. Or perhaps you had a beloved pet as a child and want to relive that experience or share it with your own children. Likely your reasons for adopting are a combination of these and other factors.

But consider this. Puppies and kittens have no problem getting adopted. They are not going to last very long in a shelter before they get snatched up since most people want an animal they can be the first to name and train (concurrent with the common misconception that pets from previous families might somehow be ruined). If you really want to help an animal in need, it is the older ones that are far less likely to be chosen. And with the recent spike in home foreclosures, more animals than ever are being abandoned or dropped off at shelters. These pets need a loving, stable home!

Furthermore, puppies and kittens are a lot of work. They require attention around the clock, whereas older animals don’t tend to be nearly as needy (or rambunctious). If you leave a puppy home alone all day while you’re at work, you can expect to return to accidents on the carpet and a closet full of chewed shoes. Kittens will just claw the heck out of your furniture. Many older pets are already house trained, box trained, or just plain trained, and as such, they will probably stick to chewing their toys rather than your personal possessions. Also, calmer pets will naturally be a better fit for kids.

And if you’re still not sure a mature animal is the pet for you, simply go to your local animal shelter and take a look. Full-grown pets also have fully formed personalities, so what you see is what you get (unlike a newborn, whose personality will only develop over time). So you’re sure to find a wonderful pet that is compatible with both your personality and your lifestyle. As a bonus, you get to rescue a deserving animal and give them the life they were meant to have, as a member of a family.

Guest post by Sarah Harris, of Zen College Life, the premier directory for online schools. Find out more information about criminal justice degrees