They’ve had enough of life in a shelter. All these five dogs want is a home for the holidays

Puppies and kittens sometimes leave shelters the same day they arrive.

But what about the ones that are a little bit older?

The ones that may be shy, or act a little too rowdy in their kennels when you pass by? Or the ones that may have health issues and require a bit of extra care?

What happens to them?

At Bishop Animal Shelter SPCA of Manatee County, they are certainly loved, but they still want to go to a loving home.

“All the dogs in here want you to take them outside. Most of them act completely different out of the kennel,” said the shelter’s spokeswoman, Emily Bach.

“We don’t want them to be judged on how they act in one scenario than they would in a home setting, or where they have more room. So if you see a dog you like, let us take them out to meet you.”

If you’re thinking about adopting a pet this holiday season, here are a few dogs at Bishop who have been at the shelter for a while.

Sasha, 8 years old

Sasha is an 8-year-old senior who loves to visit other seniors at Westminster Manor and Greenbriar retirement homes. She knows how to sit and can be calm when she needs to be, but if you throw a tennis ball she is all energy. She has most likely not been adopted because of her skin condition, which will require lifelong medicated baths.

Cato, 9 years old

Cato is a 9-year-old senior who has been in and out of the shelter a few times. He needs to be a family’s only baby and a dedicated adopter who won’t give up on him. He knows how to sit and lets shelter workers dress him up in Halloween and Christmas costumes. Despite his older age, he has no known health problems and has a lot of energy.

Doc, 12 years old

Doc, who is described as a sweet, happy old man has had to have pretty serious surgeries in his time at the shelter. He had to have a spleenectomy when vets found a mass the size of a basketball on his spleen. But he was also just diagnosed heartworm negative! This boy would love to go to a home without children.

Lexie, 9 years old

Lexie is a friendly 9-year-old senior. She has been at the shelter since September 2016 because her owner said they had too many animals. She loves squeaky toys and knows how to sit and shake. She was incredibly shy and fearful when she first came to the shelter, but once she got out to go to playgroups, she really opened up. She likes being outside a lot.

Patsy, 8.5 years old

Patsy is 8 1/2 years old, but you wouldn’t know it by her behavior. She is spunky, energetic, playful and loves belly rubs. She also loves to play fetch and can find her stick in a huge pile. She has a heart murmur that will require lifelong medication, so she needs a very special adopter.

This story was originally published December 7, 2017 at 11:00 AM with the headline "They’ve had enough of life in a shelter. All these five dogs want is a home for the holidays."