In Reply to: fwiw, most senior dogs on rescue/adoption sites all have health issues posted by People don't give up healthy dogs. nm on Mon, Apr 19 2021 at 10:52 AM CDT:
DH works in a large senior living community. Every week they have residents moving to assisted living or the nursing facility, as well as some residents who pass away. Many of these people have pets, often older animals.
These pets are picked up by a specific group who attempt to re-home them. Many, if not most of these pets have had wonderful care and are very healthy, even if they are older.
The residents hold a fundraiser for this no-kill shelter every year, knowing that their own pet may someday be taken there. It is comforting for them to know their pet will not be euthanized just because they are older (just like their owner).
It is fair to expect the shelter to advise a foster/adoptive family of any medical conditions they know of. Unfortunately a full history is not always known. And sometimes the good intention to find a senior pet a home closes their mind to an issue that should have been apparent.