The future is unfriendly for unloved black dogs
The future is unfriendly for unloved black dogs
By KEVIN CRUSH, SUN MEDIA
Dogs might be colour-blind, but their prospective owners may not be, says the Lakeland Humane Society.
Black dogs have become difficult to adopt at the Cold Lake-based society because no one seems to want them, passing them over for their lighter-coloured furry friends.
"It is always an issue but right now we are quite full and maybe three-quarters of the dogs are black, so our issue is quite heavy right now," said society animal care attendant Chelsea Deschambeau.
It's called Black Dog Syndrome and refers to many people preferring to have their canine pets any colour but black. Run a Google search of the syndrome and it brings up a long list of websites dedicated to the issue.
The reasons include darker dogs being portrayed as aggressive in movies, some types of black dogs - like Rottweilers - often have bad images, or they just don't photograph well.
Black Dog Syndrome, says the Lakeland society, leads to more black dogs than other coloured dogs being euthanized because they take longer to adopt.
Deschambeau says she sees it happening all the time.
"If we have a mostly white dog or a different coloured dog, they stand out more than the black dogs. The black dogs are all generic and they all look the same. People don't want generic, so they are the hardest to adopt out."
Of the 25 dogs currently waiting to be adopted out of the Lakeland Humane Society, 17 are black.
If it is happening in Cold Lake, it doesn't appear to be happening here, said Edmonton Humane Society spokesman Dianne Shannon.
"We have absolutely not ever acknowledged that as a reality for us at the Edmonton Humane Society."
Adoption usually depends on the personality of a dog, said Shannon. Dogs that come to the front of their kennels and make eye contact are more likely to be adopted, regardless of colour, she explained.
Where there does seem to be a problem with colour is with cats, said Shannon. Black cats are frequently in the shelter for a longer time than other felines, she said. However, she noted that people from England and Scotland get excited when they see a black cat because in those countries they are considered lucky.
