This sounds new, right? But this happens! There is some serious racism going on in the world of pet adoption. According to a study by Penn state in 2013, people find images of black pets more scarier than the pets with other color. They also revealed that black pets are less adoptable. There are many myths and stereotypes about them and believe it or not, but these misunderstandings and superstitions actually make it less likely for them to get adopted. Some people believes that black dogs are sign of devil and there are hundreds of stories, perhaps thousand of people encountering strange incidents with black dogs from medieval times.
Some people thinks that black dog syndrome doesn’t exist whereas other people thinks that black color is a dominant color genetically in their breeds, whatever the reason is, racism is wrong. Myths about cats, too, are very famous. I will give you details about the black dogs and black cats syndrome
BLACK CAT SYNDROME :-
Black cats are usually considered as bad luck in almost all over the world, especially in Western Europe, Southern Europe and America. Some people believes that black cats posses demonic powers. People says that if a black cat crosses your path, according to this myth, if this happens, you will face guaranteed bad luck. If a cat walks away from you, being shooed away or seeing around dawn, then it can bring bad luck for you, I really do not see any logic over here, I mean how can a cat brings bad luck for you, just because he is black. However many cultures from different countries even believes that black cat brings good luck but, sadly, there are still many people who do not want to adopt black cats. According to a belief, blacks cats are associated to bad luck from the middle ages when they were related to witches and black magic. Many people in the adoption shelter do not let the people to adopt black cats during the time if halloween because of this myth and they thinks that people wants to use them for the rituals during this time. They are also seen as evil because of their black color. You need to understand that ALL cats are playful and will stalk you wherever you go and that’s what they all do but how can someone see them as evil?
BLACK DOG SYNDROME :-
Many people have a superstitious belief and sub – conscious fear about black dogs. They are very difficult to find homes for. Many people thinks that black syndrome doesn’t exist at all whereas other people thinks that black dogs are harder to find homes because of their color which is a dominant color genetically. There is a theory that why they are harder in getting adopted, there are many superstitions beliefs related to them, some people equates black dogs to evil, bad luck or death. In Eastern and Southern Europe, some people believes that black dogs and vampires are somehow related, but are vampires real? The answer is obviously no, but people still believes that myth. According to one more myth, there is saying that of a person meets black dog then he will bring joy and if he meets twice, he shall bring misery and if thrice, he shall die. I wonder from where this has been come? I mean if a person really met a black dog thrice and he died because of this then how come other people know about it? Did that dead person told about it? People needs to understand that superstitions are just superstitions and there are no truth in it however people still believes in these illogical things which is very sad. The movies also plays the important role in encouraging these myths, if there is a devil dog in any movie then its a always black dog and if the movies is about witches then the witches have always a black cat. The Omen and Harry Potter series have always shown the black dogs as the threats.
Another reason of discrimination against black animals is that they are difficult to photograph well which makes them more harder to advertise, its more harder to read the black dogs’ expressions because they do not have eyebrows which is well – defined as compared to other dogs with a light – colored coats.
Whatever the reasons of not adopting black animals as pets, this should be stopped immediately. The coat color of dog has no effect on his behavior, temperament and personality. These pets are as devoted companions, loving, affectionate, cheerful and playful as any other light – colored pets. If people should be judge by their personality and not their looks, just as dogs, too, should be loved by their personality rather than their looks. So, if you are going to adopt a new dog or cat then look for temperament and personality instead of their colors. Good luck!