I really love the idea of adopting an older animal from a shelter, one that maybe doesn’t have much of a chance of being adopted. I already have a baby and a middle-aged dog, so I think I could handle an older pet who just wants to sleep all day. But my concern is the health costs. We recently lost our golden retriever to cancer, and we spent about $5k in his last month even though we had pet insurance. We make decent money, but we just made a big investment, so right now, if anyone in the family got seriously sick, we’d have to ask family for help or pull from debt. I’m wondering if there are any shelter programs where the health costs are covered for senior pets?
I think hospice fostering could be a good option for you. A lot of shelters cover vet bills if you foster, especially for older or sick pets. I’m not 100% sure how it works everywhere, but it’s something you could look into.
@Keagan
That sounds like it could work. Do you know if shelters ever stop covering costs for fosters though? I’d hate to be in a situation where I’m suddenly stuck with a huge bill.
Hayden said:
@Keagan
That sounds like it could work. Do you know if shelters ever stop covering costs for fosters though? I’d hate to be in a situation where I’m suddenly stuck with a huge bill.
Yeah, they can stop covering things sometimes. I had a foster cat, and the shelter stopped paying her vet bills when they realized she was older than they thought. So, I’d definitely ask about that before committing.
You could foster an older pet that’s unlikely to be adopted. Shelters usually cover all the costs, and the animal gets the benefit of living in a home instead of a shelter. It’s a win-win for both you and the animal!
@Val
That does seem like a really good option. I just worry that I’d get too attached. I tend to fall in love with animals really quickly.
Hayden said:
@Val
That does seem like a really good option. I just worry that I’d get too attached. I tend to fall in love with animals really quickly.
Haha, you’re not alone. ‘Foster fails’ happen all the time—people end up adopting the animal because they get so attached. But it’s not the worst thing that could happen, right?
I adopted a senior dog from a rescue a couple of years ago. She was 13.5 years old, and they did a full lab workup before the adoption—everything came back normal! I still got pet insurance, just in case, because we didn’t have her full medical history. She’s been such a great addition to our family, and honestly, way easier than a puppy. No regrets!
@Ren
That’s exactly the kind of experience I’m hoping for. I’ve always loved the calm, sweet energy that older pets bring.
If you’re worried about vet costs, maybe you could start a YouTube channel or blog about rescuing senior animals? You might be able to bring in some extra income that way to cover any medical expenses that come up.
@Sage
That’s a really interesting idea. I’ve never thought about making content like that, but it could be fun and useful at the same time.
If you foster a dog, the shelter or rescue usually covers the vet bills. We fostered a dog once, and honestly, we fell in love with him. He’s still with us, and we don’t plan on letting him go!
Tatum said:
If you foster a dog, the shelter or rescue usually covers the vet bills. We fostered a dog once, and honestly, we fell in love with him. He’s still with us, and we don’t plan on letting him go!
I could totally see myself getting attached like that. I guess I’d better be ready for the possibility that I might end up adopting the foster.
Some shelters do hospice fosters where they cover all the medical costs for older or terminally ill pets. You should contact shelters in your area and ask if they have similar programs. It really depends on the shelter and what kind of programs they offer.
@Eli
Thanks for the suggestion. I’ll definitely reach out to local shelters and ask about their programs.