October 1 was National Black Dog Day, established to encourage the adoption of black dogs. No doubt about it, many dark coated dogs populate shelters and kill-lists. But whether they are in fact adopted at lower rates is unclear. What we can say is that there are many black and dark dogs at Rescue Ranch who need homes. If a discussion of black dog syndrome (BDS) can draw more attention to them, then we’ll take it.
What is black dog syndrome?
Black dog syndrome refers to the low adoption rates of black dogs. Superstition features high on the list of reasons for this phenomenon. Humans sometimes associate black animals, cats and dogs in particular, with the Devil, witchcraft, malevolent spirits, mythological monsters, bad luck, and so on. Sources also cite their assumed unfriendliness and imagined training challenges. In addition, black dogs are somewhat more difficult to showcase and photograhe. Even in person, their features are less immediately discernable, never mind on a website thumbnail. While these explanations describe real challenges, do they significantly influence adoption numbers?
What does the data say about the adoptability of black dogs?
Many shelters and members of the public accept BDS as fact, but is it really a thing? I have no doubt that coat color features among the myriad of variables that factor into an adopter’s choice. But the question is whether it is determinative in a significant number of cases. A 2002 study suggests that black dogs had measurably lower adoption rates at the Sacramento County Department of Animal Care and Regulation shelter. Brindle numbers were even lower. But that research is over 20 years old and uses even older data (1994-1995). Moreover, the authors cite two earlier studies where color was not overwhelmingly determinative and do not draw any firm conclusions regarding coat color.
A 2013 article, also published in the Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, found no evidence for BDS, nor did a 2016 study by Canisius College. And in a 2013 interview, ASPCA Vice President of Shelter Research Dr. Emily Weiss told Today.com that, “New pieces of research have found that there is no indication that they are less likely to be adopted…We just conducted a piece of research looking at various traits that drive people to adopt and color did not play a role at all. It busts this myth completely.”
Additional research could help decide whether BDS is myth or fact. A simpler explanation might be that there are more black and dark coated dogs to begin with, as suggested in Dr. Weiss’ interview.
Do black dogs benefit from BDS?
Regardless of why, there are a lot of black and dark coated dogs in shelters, and they still need to get out of their kennels and into homes. To the extent that BDS draws attention to them and serves as an educational tool to debunk some of the fears associated with black dogs, perhaps it is a useful concept. But I worry that even though the science doesn’t appear to support it, BDS also provides another excuse for systematic euthanasia in kill shelters. And that’s something we don’t need.
Rescue Ranch is no-kill, and that’s the good news. But our numbers are higher than ever. Please visit our adoption page to see all of our dogs, including the dark coated and black dogs pictured in this article. They all deserve a chance to thrive.
