Senior Citizens Offered Free Pet Adoptions At East Bay SPCA

EAST BAY, CA — Bay Area senior citizens will be able to adopt older pets for free starting Wednesday, according to the East Bay SPCA.

The new program, "Seniors for Seniors," will waive the adoption fees of dogs and cats ages 7 and older for humans 65 and older at its shelters in Oakland and Dublin.

The idea is to provide new homes to "mature" shelter animals while improving the quality of life for local senior citizens, according to East Bay SPCA officials.

"There are many benefits to adopting a pet. Research shows having a pet can help people reduce stress, lower your blood pressure, decrease your risk of strokes and heart attacks and more," said East Bay SPCA vice president of operations Karalyn Aronow.

SPCA staff will help pair dogs and cats with interested adopters based on the humans' lifestyles and housing situations.

"The quiet home of a senior citizen and the often calm and gentle demeanor of senior pets can be a perfect match for a mature animal in need of a second chance and a senior citizen looking for companionship," Aronow said.

—Bay City News