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You’re probably familiar with that feeling of your heartstrings getting pulled when your cat makes the most adorable meow as he stretches. Or, if you have a dog, you know they will never fail to make you smile even on your toughest days. These instances aren’t just anecdotes — studies have shown that a cat’s purr can reduce stress in humans and that gazing into your pooch’s eyes triggers the release of oxytocin, aka the love hormone. That’s not all; keeping a pet around leads to an increase in serotonin and dopamine levels,  improve heart health, and they can even get you to be more social. So, it’s no secret that adopting a pet can also help the senior community.

There are around seven million Americans over the age of 65 who suffer from depression, often as a result of loneliness. Those of us with pets can probably attest to the fact that when we’re feeling lonely, nothing makes us feel more loved than our animal companion cuddling up to us. Numerous studies have proven that interacting with an animal is beneficial to seniors and studies have shown that people with pets require fewer doctor visits. What’s more amazing about adopting an animal is not only how they improve our health, but also that we end up finding our new best friend. Take this photo of Goldie and her new dad, Mr. Holladay, as an example.

Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary shared this photo of Goldie, a senior dog with her new dad, Mr. Holladay. There’s no denying how happy these two look together. 

 

 

Mr. Holladay recently fostered Goldie from Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary, an organization dedicated to helping elderly dogs live out the golden years in peace. Unfortunately, senior animals are often the last to be adopted and the first to be euthanized, but Old Friends and people like Mr. Holladay show that these animals are just as worthy of our love. We’re so glad that Mr. Holladay chose to welcome Goldie into his home, where she’ll have a big back yard to romp in and there will be no shortage of love between them.

If you’re thinking about adopting a senior animal, check out these helpful resources:

Lead image source: Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary/Facebook