Black Dog Syndrome
By Nancy Garmley
All kinds of dogs and cats find their way to shelters for a wide variety of reasons. A few would be:
– someone develops a dog allergy
– landlords don’t allow pets
– the owners are moving and can’t take the pet
That a pet has to leave their home and be put into a strange environment is tragic enough; imagine when it gets there, the chances of someone wanting to adopt this pet is lower because it’s black.
There is a condition that exists in shelters and rescue facilities across the country called “Black Dog Syndrome.” According to some of the research on this syndrome, black dogs and cats get euthanized at a quicker rate and remain unadopted in shelters longer than light-colored dogs. According to Wikipedia, “Black dog syndrome or big black dog syndrome is a disputed phenomenon in which black dogs are passed over for adoption in favor of lighter-colored animals. Animal shelters often use the term BBD, or big black dog, to describe the type of larger dark-colored mixed-breed said to be typically passed over by adopters. Not many scientific studies have been done to prove this theory, but it is well-known and understood condition within pet adoption communities.
Why are black dogs and cats seemingly overlooked and more quickly destined for death than their lighter colored pet friends? One reason might be that the black dog is often associated with the devil and black cats with witches. Black cats also carry the superstition that they bring bad luck. Often pet adoption agencies will not let black animals be adopted around Halloween for fear of possible harm that might come around that holiday. Because the black dog and cat are connected to many superstitions in folklore, this adds to the fear that black dogs or cats are more aggressive or dangerous than lighter-colored animals. Fortunately, most of us know that color does not define the characteristics or personality of a dog or cat.
One last, and more reasonable cause for the “Black Dog Syndrome” is that black dogs and cats do not photograph well. In this day and age more people search online for pets to adopt. Naturally, if a dog does not photograph well it is more likely to be passed over quicker than one who is more photogenic.
As there are no hard facts to support this condition, many people claim this syndrome to be just a myth. Maybe there are just more black dogs and cats so it just seems there are more at the shelter? You can do a little test on your own. Take a look online at pet shelters sites and see if you are more drawn to lighter-colored dogs (or cats) and form your own opinion! The big question is how can pet shelters help to discourage this Black Dog Syndrome and help all pets have a chance at equal adoption?