Chris Evans and Alba Baptista are coming up on their first anniversary next month, and they’re definitely thinking about expanding their brood. They currently have an almost-10-year-old, Dodger, who Chris adopted as a two-year-old, years before meeting his future wife. The couple are keen now to adopt together, but they can’t make up their minds on whether to adopt a puppy or a senior dog. Yes, “dog,” what did you think we were talking about? Chris recently spelled out their predicament to People Mag, while also touting his ongoing partnership with Jinx dog food and a special deal they have right now:
“The question becomes, do we do the puppy route, or do we adopt an older dog?” the Avengers star, 43, tells PEOPLE exclusively. “Anytime you see one of those stories about some eight or nine-year-old dog that gets adopted who’s had a rough life, it just kills you. And so, to some degree, that’s kind of what we’ve been thinking.”
While welcoming a new pet has been “on our mind,” says Evans, the couple hasn’t acted on the urge yet.
As for when they might pull the trigger, “We both need a little bit of downtime for that,” the actor says. “We’ve always said, ‘Well, maybe we’ll just go down to the shelter,’ and I’m like, ‘Listen, do you really think we’re going to walk down there and not leave with at least one dog?’ There’s no way. So if we make the decision to actually walk in the door, we’re walking out with one.”
Evans is still helping other dogs while he waits for the right time to adopt another pet. The devoted dog dad partnered with Jinx premium dog food brand in 2022. He says the goal is to help dog owners offer high-quality products to their pets.
“Good nutrition for dogs shouldn’t only be for people who can afford it,” he explains.
“At the end of the day, Dodger is the real temperature check for me. He loves it, and that’s all I needed to be a part of this,” Evans adds.
This summer, starting August 1, Jinx will donate 5% of every purchase at Walmart to the United Service Organization (USO) to help support active military members, including the USO Canine Program.
When it comes to Dodger, Evans says the pooch knows how to make him laugh. “You know what he’ll do sometimes, which is so cute? I won’t have eyes on him. Then, you just kind of turn around, and you notice him,” the actor says.
“He’s in the play position where his head is down, his butt’s up in the air, and his tail’s just going behind his head. And it’s the funniest thing in the world.”
Evans acknowledges that it would be easier to get Dodger, who’s turning 10 this year, a canine companion if he could predict the outcome.
“I wish I knew if it’s what he wanted. I wish I could just ask him because he loves being around dogs,” he says. “But when it’s bedtime, if there’s another dog coming in the room, he might be like, ‘Hold on.’ So I don’t know.”
“Listen, do you really think we’re going to walk down there and not leave with at least one dog?” That is correct, Chris, you and Alba will not be able to visit a shelter just to take a look. I speak from experience. One Sunday in 2012 I said, “Oh, I’ll just stop by the adoption fair on my way home.” Famous last words. I saw My Girl, I didn’t know if she was a puppy or a senior dog, and I just knew, “Yep, that’s my girl.” A vet estimated that she was around 18 months old, so I didn’t go through the trials of puppyhood with her, but she had been on her own up until the rescue, so I definitely had to work to earn her trust. Now she is a senior dog, and there’s plenty of stress there, too. I speak from experience. In fact, I may or may not have just sobbed my way through a last minute vet appointment because we just started My Girl on her Cushing’s disease medication and four days in My Girl stopped eating food altogether and was throwing up and lethargic and I was thinking, “No no no no no no no nope, My Girl HAS to bounce back from this, we’re not ready,” and luckily the vet gave her some anti-nausea meds and an appetite stimulant and she finally had one small meal since then but yeah, it’s been a long few days…
So, Chris and Alba, there really is no “better” way to go here, vis-à-vis puppy or senior dog. Either one will bring euphoric joy and devastating heartache; welcome to parenthood. I say show up to the shelter and let the dog choose you. And Dodger. Actually just leave all the decision making to Dodger, he will, after all, be in charge of his new sibling.
Photos credit: IMAGO/Jennifer Bloc / Avalon, Getty and via Instagram/Chris Evans, YouTube/Buzzfeed
A senior dog please!
I know puppies are cute, but please a senior!
This article was just product placement for Jinx, but I do appreciate him bringing up how important it is to adopt older animals from shelters.
Dodger will definitely tell have a say but my personal hope is that he chooses a senior. Puppies have a much better chance of getting out- especially in California where there are so many high kill shelters.
Yay adoption! Chris is a great advocate!
I recently lost my 11yo dog that we adopted when he was 7. Will adopt another one soon, love the adult/senior dogs, because you know what you are getting (it’s just that they go too soon xo)
Kismet, Wishing you and your loved ones lots of luck with MyGirl! I hope she responds to the meds and feels better soon. It’s awful when your fur baby gets really sick! Hugs 🤗
My read on Chris and Alba is that if kids are possibly part of their future, they should take that into consideration when deciding on a dog, too. And it would be great if Dog II came from a shelter. My long-ago experience with dogs is that if they get along during the day, they usually do at night as well. Cats are a bit different.
100% adoption!
Rescue youngish but older rescue here + adopted a friend’s dog who couldn’t keep him anymore. I got the 2nd one for my rescue because we felt he was lonely and bored, winds up, he preferred his loneliness 😆 they get along sometimes now 😆 after spending all of covid pandemic together 24/7. I could never think of separating them now.
All of our dogs are/have been rescues and only 2 were puppies when we got them and honestly not having to go through the puppy years was great. We currently have 3 and the youngest is 2 and a half and an absolute idiot 😂, so I am glad I didn’t have her from infancy!
Our beloved Lab died a few months ago. After mourning him we visited a shelter “just to look”. We agreed before going that we would only be interested in older dogs, definitely ones that were housebroken. But then I saw this rescued litter, and completely lost my mind. We adopted not one but two puppies. They are wrestling with each other, complete with puppy growls as I write this, and are a handful, but they are ours now and we love them.
Thank you for rescuing! That’s how we got our oldest pittie mix, our first joint pup post marriage passed on and our cats stopped eating because they had all grown up together. So, we went to the shelter, cats as well, and our now oldest ran up to the cats first and laid down to make herself small for them! It was a done deal as soon as she did that.
This is why since my cat passed away in Spring of last year I have not visited a single shelter or the local cat cafe (where all the residents are adoptable!). Because I know that if I go in I will be walking out with a cat. I’m not ready for another pet so I am not going to play myself like that lol.
Hugging you with my heart @Kismet hope your sweet girl is on the mend
There are pros and cons with puppies vs mature dogs, but for me, I always go older and trained. Puppies are an immense responsibility and that bathroom training is no joke. It’s a lot of accidents and cleaning early on, not to mention the dedicated training and maintenance.
My brothers adopted older dogs who had previous owners and trauma and they’re the SWEETEST dogs- so gentle, smart and good with kids. Older dogs are wonderful and deserve a chance.