A 2025 Ipsos poll found that 80 per cent of Canadians over the age of 55 with pets reported social and emotional gains from their furry or feathery friends. Sage offers some tips on getting the right one.
Mr. Fritz is well-travelled, a veteran of loading up his water bowl and accompanying his people on road trips to British Columbia, Yukon and the East Coast. Now 15, the friendly Cairn Terrier/ Miniature Schnauzer mix hunkers down in the back of the family vehicle or perches on the console, checking out the passing scenery.
No matter where they are, “We’re company for him and he’s company for us,” says Dennis Brock, who retired in 2003 from Fisheries and Oceans Canada as director-general of the Conservation and Protection Branch and now lives with his wife, Darlene Brock, and Mr. Fritz in the Golden Lake area of Eastern Ontario. “Darlene and I have no kids, so he’s the next thing to a kid.”
Like many retirees, the Brocks treasure their pet and the benefits that accrue to both halves of the relationship. Like others, they also know that pets are demanding and not something you acquire one day and return to the store the next if you’re dissatisfied.
So, what do you need to know if you’re thinking of bringing a dog or cat, a budgie, maybe even a ball python into your life?
Some benefits of pet companions
Whether anecdotally or based on solid research, it’s evident pets can improve our lives. In fact, a 2025 Ipsos poll found that 80 per cent of Canadians over the age of 55 with pets reported social and emotional gains from having an animal pal.
Those gains can be especially crucial as we age, our social circle diminishes and loneliness sometimes sets in.
“Having a pet can help combat that,” says Lisa Chance, a Nova Scotia-based volunteer at ElderDog Canada, a national non-profit group offering support to seniors with dogs and to older dogs. “I’ve had lots of people say to me something along the lines of, ‘This dog is my only living relative.’”
Any pet, by requiring care and attention, also injects routine and purpose into our daily life, providing stability during the major life transition that retirement brings.
Cardiovascular health, muscle tone and connection to the world outside our front door all get a boost from stickthrowing jaunts in the park or just a hike around the block with a dog.
Stroking a cat, rabbit or other pet is a great temporary anxiety reducer for both stroker and stroked, and at least one recent study found that, as we age, pet ownership helps maintain cognitive functioning, including memory and language.
Less quantifiable is unconditional love, a life-booster that comes in spades with a pet and clearly runs both ways: just listen to the contented purr of a cat when curled up on a loving lap.
Pet birds are no exception to the human-animal drive to connect, according to Sophie Hébert Saulnier, a Montreal veterinarian specializing in birds and exotic animals.
“They are really trying to connect with you, sometimes with words but even without words they can communicate quite a lot. And they have an emotional capacity to develop a relationship on a very deep level.”
While reptiles don’t communicate the way birds or other pets do, she says some learn to associate their owners with food and will approach the person. The relationship is not a deep one, but that may be just fine for some folks.
The realities of an animal in the home
Despite the pluses of having a pet that seniors acknowledged in the Ipsos poll, only 44 per cent of Canadians 55 and older are pet owners. Cost, convenience and an animal’s lifespan may be reasons for that and need to be carefully considered.
Pets are expensive. According to the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association, a cat costs more than $1,700 a year without dental care or pet insurance. A dog, again without dental work or insurance, is around $2,300.
Mr. Fritz has had four dental surgeries over the years, setting the Brocks back about $10,000, says Dennis (“He’s worth every penny,” exclaims Darlene.) Even a bird dips into your wallet, according to Hébert Saulnier. Vet bills will run $150 or more a year, and the initial outlay for a cage, good quality food, toys and other necessities will be $400 to $600.
“We are seeing many people who apply for funding for life-saving veterinary care for their companion animals,” says Dawn Campbell, a veterinary social worker at the Vancouver Humane Society. “It’s really important to consider what community programs there are, what kind of safety nets are available.”
Pets can also interfere with your travel plans, provoke allergic reactions in visitors and make occasional messes on the floor.
One other caution: While some pets have a relatively short lifespan (and that means bereavement for their humans), cats can live up to 15 to 20 years. Cockatiels can surpass that by a decade. Are you prepared to make that commitment or at least create a backup plan if you can no longer care for the pet?
Choosing your pet
Some people are “dog people,” some are “cat people,” while others love rabbits, which are cuddly and playful. They can be litter trained, but are also social animals and do best in pairs. Pet rats can be sweet, highly intelligent and great with children, but usually have lifespans of only two or three years.
No matter what kind of pet person you are, some basic rules apply. For instance, how much time do you have to devote to your pet? Where do you live? Are you prepared for some disruption?
Depending on the breed, dogs can require a lot of space, attention and exercise. Training — time-consuming and expensive, but a rewarding way to forge a powerful human-animal bond — is a must for active dogs and a good idea for all canines.
Many seniors prefer a small dog, one that can snooze in their lap, Chance says, noting the popularity of Shih Tzus, a loyal and loving breed. An adult dog rather than a rambunctious puppy may also work best.
Cats do well living indoors, including apartments, provided they have toys and some room to romp. They can also be amusingly imperious: “He runs us more than we run him,” jokes Jean Haché about Pilou, the 11-year-old orange tabby who deigns to share his home with Haché and his wife, Heather Jamieson. A retired assistant deputy minister with Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s Maritimes region, Haché says Pilou’s minimal demands (“as long as he’s fed and has litter, that’s it”) and generally pleasant personality make him a “perfect match” for a retired couple.
Birds such as cockatiels are only partially domesticated, Hébert Saulnier says, and their occasional wild behaviour — chewing household items and screaming if left alone, for instance — may make them unsuitable for some domiciles. Such birds also need to be able to fly freely in the home for at least an hour a day.
Remember, too, that if the routine of having an animal gives structure to our day, it also does to theirs and is essential for a pet’s sense of security.
When thinking of a pet and deciding which one, “Be honest with yourself, really consider what your lifestyle is going to look like,” advises Campbell. “We are bringing an animal into our lives that’s going to be fully wholly reliant on us, and we have to be able to provide care appropriate to their needs.”
Adds Brock, “If people are going to adopt a dog or a cat or anything else, you’ve got to be prepared that there are some sacrifices you’re going to make on [your pet’s] behalf. You don’t do it lightly.”