Nov. 21/2018

Feature:

Are Black Cats & Dogs Really Less Likely to Be Adopted?

“…WHAT IS BLACK DOG (OR CAT) SYNDROME?

Black Dog Syndrome — or sometimes Big Black Dog Syndrome — is the term animal shelters use to suggest that black dogs often are passed over for adoption…Some people add ‘Big’ to the expression because smaller dogs & puppies (& kittens) tend to have a higher adoption rate, regardless of coloring.

‘It is possible that there may simply be more black pets in the shelter & rescue population,’ according to the Petfinder blog. ‘However reports from across the country seem to illustrate the problem, & multiple national organizations have long recognized BDS as an issue that adversely affects the adoption rates of black pets.’…

FACTORS WORKING AGAINST BLACK ANIMALS

There are several factors that could contribute to Black Dog (or Cat) Syndrome. Some of it might have to do with superstitions associated with black animals, according to the American Kennel Club. Black cats have ties to witches & misfortune. And there are many stories about evil black dogs, sometimes painting them as omens of death or even incarnations of the devil. Even if you don’t consciously believe these myths, they might have helped to shape your pet preferences.

But another factor does actually stem from black animals’ coloring: They can’t be seen very well in their kennels or photographs. Many animal shelters don’t have stellar lighting or professional photographers to take photos of the adoptable pets. So the black dogs & cats all tend to blend together — their unique features lost in the dim environment…

HERE’S WHAT THE DATA SAYS

According to the ASPCA, the prejudice against black cats & dogs is just another myth surrounding these animals…Because black dogs & cats make up the largest groups of shelter intake by color, it’s going to appear as though more are passed over for adoption…

ASPCA data of about 300,000 animals from 2013 drive home this point:

- Black dogs made up 30% of the total canine intake. The next highest group was

brown dogs at 23%. Consequently, 32% of canine adoptions were black dogs,

& 22% were brown dogs, followed by the other color groups.

- As for felines, black cats made up 33% of intake, followed by gray cats at 22%. And

black cats accounted for 31% of the feline adoptions, with gray at 20%.

So even though black cats & dogs represented the largest color population at shelters,

their adoption rates also remained the strongest…

Furthermore, another study of shelter dogs in the Pacific Northwest found black dogs

actually had a slightly shorter length of stay versus other colors. ‘The study also

concluded that age & breed group were more important than coat color when it came to

adoptability,’ according to Science Daily…

…these numbers suggest simple color prejudice is not the main issue black

animals face in shelters…

HOW TO HELP ADOPTABLE ANIMALS

…Donate your time, expertise or resources to your local animal shelter. Fostering, dog

walking, cat socializing, fundraising, cleaning— there’s always a need for various

volunteers. Plus, educate your friends & family about pet overpopulation, & encourage

them to adopt…”

Mary Daly

Oct. 30/2018

care2.com

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