If you've been considering adding a furry friend to your family, November is a great time to do just that! Founded by the ASPCA and Petfinder.com, Adopt a Senior Pet Month shines a light on the benefits of choosing an adult pet as your new family member. And November is a perfect time to give an older dog or cat a furever home in time for the holidays.

Why Choose an Older Pet?

While puppies and kittens are cute, they require training, special attention and extra care that might not work well with your current work commitments and lifestyle. Here are just a few ways an older pet might be just perfect for you and your family.

1. Many older pets have mellowed out. While they can still be playful and energetic, the nearly out-of-control zoom-around-the-room energy of kittens and puppies has usually calmed some in older pets.

2. Older pets generally require less training. Most adult pets have already been house-trained and just need some time and patience to adapt to your schedule.

3. The lifespan of many adult pets is longer than people often realize. Depending on breed, some smaller dogs can live well into their teen years while larger dogs can live from 10 to 12 years or more. Indoor-only cats live an average of 15 years and some live into their 20s. That's a lot of years of love, laughter and fun to enjoy together, even if your new pal is a few years old when you meet.

4. Any preferences or temperaments are usually known or already discovered. If a pet is fearful of young children, they can be matched with a family without children or whose children are older. If a dog or cat gets along great with every kind of family member save those with feathers, that information is available and can be used to find the best fit for both the pet and the family.

5. Many older pets have had fairly long stays in shelters, simply waiting for a great family to give them a loving new home - a family just like yours.

Older and senior pets are frequently passed over in shelters despite their potential to be an amazing and loving addition to a new family. This November, consider adopting a senior pet and give a special dog or cat a wonderful new home, just in time for the holidays and the first of many great memories together.