Over the years, Duane and Margaret Westrom have opened their door and their hearts to the several cats that have shown up on their Camarillo doorstep. They’ve enjoyed the warmth and companionship the pets brought to their home.

The last cat died a year ago, and the house just hasn’t felt the same, the couple said. They felt a cat would be good company for Margaret when Duane had to be hospitlized earlier this month while recuperating from bypass surgery. The pet would be a welcome sight for Duane, too, when he returns home.

When they heard about a discounted program for Ventura County seniors who give a home to older pets, the Westroms were among the first to adopt—last month they brought home a 6year-old longhair tabby, Precious, from the Camarillo shelter.

“She’s just as sweet as can be,” Duane Westrom said last week.

It took a couple of weeks before Precious felt comfortable with the new environment and the Westroms. But now she sits happily on their laps and enjoys the

attention they shower on her.

Pets 5 years and older are considered seniors in the animal world and are more difficult for the county’s only animal shelter to place in homes, said Monica Nolan, director of Ventura County Animal Regulation.

About 30 percent of the dogs and cats that come into the shelter are seniors, she said

To encourage the adoption of older animals, shelter workers came up with a novel approach: Discount the adoption fee for senior citizens who adopt senior pets.

The shelter started the Seniors for Seniors Discount Adoption Program last month, reducing the $125 adoption fee to $75 for Ventura County residents 55 years or older who adopt an older dog or cat. The reduced fee includes the cost of a license, microchip implant, rabies shot, certificate for free veterinarian exam, six free dog obedience lessons and spaying or neutering of the animal.

Nolan said senior animals offer benefits younger pets don’t.

“Animals really mature at that age,” Nolan said.

Older pets are often accustomed to living with humans, don’t chew or scratch furniture and come with some training. Senior dogs and cats usually don’t come with surprises: They’re already full-grown and any behavioral or health issues are generally known at the time of adoption. In addition, their demeanor is usually calm and they require less intensive exercise, making them a good fit for a senior’s lifestyle, Nolan said.

Animals eligible for the Seniors for Seniors program can be viewed at the shelter or on its website, www.vcar.us. The shelter is at 600 Aviation Drive in the Camarillo Airport. For more information, call (805) 388-4341.