The short answer: Absolutely.

Though puppies and kittens draw most of the clicks on social media, older animals make excellent pets as well. For seniors, they’re likely a much better fit than a younger, more high-maintenance animal.

While bringing a young animal home means adjusting your lifestyle and training them through trial and error, many older animals are already house-trained and fully socialized. They won’t chew through your furniture or keep you up all hours of the night. You’ll generally avoid the hostility and chaos that a new pet can bring. Instead, you’ll find yourself with a new housemate that’s perfectly suited to your lifestyle. You won’t avoid all the hard work of living with a pet, but you’ll get to skip a good deal of it. Instead, you’ll enjoy immediate quality time with a friendly companion.

That’s not to mention the fact that adopting a senior animal often literally means saving a life. Cats and dogs with a little grey in their coats tend to wait around a lot longer for a loving home. Many never leave the shelter at all. Adopting a senior pet provides them with a second chance. It won’t just make your golden years brighter, it’ll do the same for them.

Read more at Senior Life Advisor and learn more about adopting a senior pet today.