Rescue Tail / Golden Paw

The senior pet. The faithful companion. Their eyes soft, face speckled with white hairs, a slower step, longer naps, all contributing equally to what makes a senior pet so special. Having lovingly devoted their younger selves to their families, for many reasons, some unforeseen, some tragic, senior pets enter our shelter doors. When they do, it’s up to us to break down barriers to their path to adoption to help find our senior pets a loving family to call their own.

In a shelter, senior pets are often overlooked. It’s easy for many to fall for the wiggly puppy, the fluffy kitten, or the bouncing baby bunny. Every animal in our shelter has an adopter, and every adopter has a different story. When considering adopting a senior, for many, the path to adoption comes from the loss of a beloved family member, and the newly-felt void creates a fear of loss again. Sometimes, it’s the concern of medical bills in older pets with special needs. Each barrier holds its own validity, and in an effort to address these barriers, the Florida Keys SPCA  is proud to announce the Golden Paw Project. 

Through a generous grant from the Florida Keys Community Foundation ten senior dogs, and ten senior cats combined between our two campuses in Key West and Marathon, are being carefully selected as Golden Paw recipients with exclusive benefits to promote their adoptions. In-house senior health panels are completed prior to adoption, and we provide adopters with a complimentary year’s worth of heartworm, flea and tick prevention medication. Additionally, adoption fees will be waived for Golden Paw pets, and a follow-up wellness visit post-adoption at our Dogwood Clinic in Key West is included. Furthermore; the adopted pet will be eligible for a 10% price reduction on future services at the clinic.

By identifying barriers to adoption, and providing solutions, together we are working to ease the path for our senior pets from shelter to forever family. To learn more about our Golden Paw Project, visit us at fkspca.org/adopt and click on our Adoption Specials. Or contact us in Key West at 305-294-4857 and 305-743-4800 in Marathon. Our sweet seniors can’t wait to meet you.