Black dog, hard sell
Local shelters try to give darker dogs better chance at being adopted
Big black dogs are among the last animals to be adopted, but local shelters are trying to turn that around with makeovers and a little better marketing.
Sometimes, all it takes is better lighting, a brightly colored collar, or even a unique squeaky toy in its cage for an animal to be noticed, shelter workers say. Black dogs just need a little help standing out.
Employees at local shelters said they have problems finding homes for black dogs.
The Post and Courier
Five-year-old Rowdy is a black lab available for adoption from Pet Helpers on James Island. Some animal shelter employees say they have problems finding homes for black dogs, especially large black dogs more than 2 years old.
That's definitely "the shelter worker's perception," throughout the country, said Jacque Schultz, the senior director of community outreach for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. "If you see a row of 20 black dogs, they fade from your memory," she said.
"There's very little in the way of research" on whether black dogs are euthanized at higher rates, she said, but it's likely. "The longer you're at a shelter, the greater the risk," she said.
Adult black cats don't fare any better, said Emily Laurie, public relations coordinator for Pet Helpers on James Island. About half of the cats up for adoption at Pet Helper are black. "Some of the nicest animals here have black coats," Laurie said.
"It's such a desperate situation for black animals," said Kay Hyman, director of outreach and communication, for the Charleston Animal Society.
And the big black adult dog has three strikes against the likelihood of it being adopted. Many people tend to shy away from dogs that are large, more than 2 years old and black, Hyman said.
And big black dogs are one of the most common animals brought into the shelter, she said. "In the South, we see a lot of labs and lab-mixes," she said. Sometimes, she said, shelter volunteers transport the dogs to other parts of country where the large black canines are less common, she said.
The shelter is planning to hold an event sometime this summer called Black Dog Sunday, she said. People can come in that day and adopt a black dog at a reduced price. It has held such events twice in the past, she said, and the events have been successful.
Marcia Atkinson, director of the Doc Williams SPCA in Berkeley County, said with black dogs, "we make efforts to showcase them in extra special conditions."
The shelter keeps the black dogs near a light so their coats look shiny, and puts colorful collars on them, she said.
Shelter employees said they really don't know why black dogs are adopted less often, beyond not standing out as much as their lighter-coated counterparts.
Sharon Atkinson, manager at the Frances Willis SPCA in Summerville, said it's difficult to see black dogs' faces and that a sweet face can win over a person looking to adopt a pet. It's especially hard to see their faces through the bars of a cage, she said. So shelter staff members try to get the dogs out to adoption events where people can interact them and "see their full potential."
It's important that animals at shelters get noticed because many shelters have to euthanize animals if they run out of space to house them. Employees at local shelters said they don't track euthanizations by an animal's color.
Kim Intino, director of shelter services for the Humane Society of the United States, is an expert who disagrees with anecdotal reports from shelter workers that black dogs are euthanized at a higher rate. A study conducted by Pet- health Inc., a pet insurance company, suggests they're not, she said, but added the study didn't include a representative sample of shelters. Intino agrees that it takes longer for black dogs to be adopted. The trouble shelters have in finding homes for black dogs motivates staffers to "make them noticeable for their personalities," she said.
"You don't want them to blend together and become the six black dogs at the shelter," she said.
Kristin Kifer, operations manager at Pet Helpers, which doesn't euthanize animals, said it's even tough sometimes to find homes for black puppies, though nowhere near as hard as it is to find homes for adult black dogs.
The shelter now has a litter of six black puppies that are about 8 weeks old. They've been at the shelter for a week and none of them have been adopted. "Puppies usually fly out the door," she said.
Reach Diane Knich at 937-5491 or dknich@postandcourier.com.
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Comments
moonpie (anonymous) says...
Why is this a story? Maybe it's just black stray, muts people don't want? I raised pure blood labadores and blacks sold nicely! You get less money for them but I'm never left with any.
June 15, 2009 at 6:26 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ForPnC (anonymous) says...
I've got four rescued animals. When the dogs die the next ones will be black.
June 15, 2009 at 6:47 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Larz13 (anonymous) says...
This just goes to show that we live in a racist society.
June 15, 2009 at 6:56 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
kma71 (anonymous) says...
My wife and I adopted a black lab from Pet Helpers a few months ago. When we went there my wife got in the cage with him and he was all over her. He's adorable and has been a great pet so far.
June 15, 2009 at 7:05 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
follygirl (anonymous) says...
I have two dogs, one of which is black. I want a black lab for my next dog. I love black dogs
June 15, 2009 at 7:08 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jeffyoung007 (anonymous) says...
I have a dream...
June 15, 2009 at 7:16 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
wonderdog (anonymous) says...
I have two black dogs in my family now and have had black dogs in the past, all from shelters. They are sweet, smart, amazing animals, and I am lucky to have them.
Often there are purebred dogs at the shelter along with the mutts (my preference), so please consider a visit to the shelter if you want to adopt an animal.
June 15, 2009 at 7:25 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
wobs (anonymous) says...
The only dogs my husband I have had in our 28 years of marriage have been black. Our current dog was adopted from the ASPCA in 2002 and she is the biggest we've had. She is also very intellegent and a sweetie . She is mostly lab, with a little border collie thrown in, just to make her even more smart! Maggie is gentle with children and adults and she loves to play. We wouldn't trade her for anything.
The next dog we get is also going to be a shelter dog. I can't see paying hundreds of dollars for a dog when there are so many good pets needing good, loving homes at our local shelters. We all need to do a better job of spaying and neutering our pets so there aren't as many unwanted pets and the shelters will not have to euthanize so many animals.
June 15, 2009 at 8:27 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
grainofsalt (anonymous) says...
Larz, Jeff and Bumper... sigh - a little too predictable.
All I'm waiting for now is someone to say, "I've got nothing against black dogs. Some of my best friends have black dogs."
There. I beat someone to it.
Jeez...
June 15, 2009 at 8:44 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
realman (anonymous) says...
This may not at all be correct, but I thought to myself "Why wouldn't I want a black dog?" and the only possibly reason, (and I'm NOT saying it's a good one) would be a concern that a black dog may not fare as well as a dog with lighter fur in this hot southern climate. They would tend to overheat quicker, I would think.
June 15, 2009 at 8:55 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
coolfreaknbeans (anonymous) says...
Damn ! You did beat me to it. lol
"It's such a desperate situation for black animals," I know it's messed up, but that quote made me laugh. On a more serious note, a well groomed black dog makes for a beautiful pet. You'd think people adopting from the shelter wouldnt be so picky.
June 15, 2009 at 8:58 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Lovely_One (anonymous) says...
I have had 2 dogs in my life. One was a German Shepard and the other was a Chow/German Shepard mix. Both of them were white. Does that make me a dog racist?
This story BITES!! It's a dog eat dog world! All puns intended!
June 15, 2009 at 9 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
wonderdog (anonymous) says...
My dogs do the same thing I do to deal with the heat - they stay inside an air conditioned house and enjoy an occasional nap in the sun.
June 15, 2009 at 9:32 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
eyfigueroa (anonymous) says...
Black is Beautiful...
Black POWER!!!
Once you go Black...
The darker the berry...
Gosh we are so nuts here in the lowcountry.
Only us P&C posters can take an article about Black dogs needing adoptions and crack jokes about it.
As for SPCA adoptions, I just adopted a Chow/Sheppard mix from Charleston SPCA and I'm hear to tell you that "little" booger has become the love of our lives.
I wholeheartedly advocate adopting pets.
June 15, 2009 at 9:47 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
MontessoriMom (anonymous) says...
I LOVE my 2 black dogs. They are parts of the family. We keep a close eye on them in this heat. When they are outside, they have lots of water and a big umbrella to get some shade. Adopt a black dog!!!!!
June 15, 2009 at 9:48 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
maeko (anonymous) says...
ya'll are funny!
June 15, 2009 at 9:59 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
theronce (anonymous) says...
You know...I just never have and probably never would have thought of this...dang it...another thing to worry about...be still, my heart...
June 15, 2009 at 10:23 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
abitskeptical (anonymous) says...
What about all the poor black CATS? Now that's a group that's always gotten a bum rap.
For the record, some of my favorite cats are black.
In fact, I have 2 black cats. One thinks he's a person.
June 15, 2009 at 10:27 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
iceman1978 (anonymous) says...
I've got a Tortoishell cat that's mostly black. Think Calico only black instead of white. Sometimes I'll leave my jacket on the chair. The jacket is a black pea coat, and when she curls up on it you can't even see her, except for her white paws.
I've house sat for people who have dogs, one of which was a black lab. Labs have a very good temperment and make excellent pets if you have children. I know people say they dig and chew, but if you train them properly, spend time with them, and provide them with a chew toy you can easily handle it.
Please consider adoption. These are very sweet dogs.
June 15, 2009 at 10:36 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
firemike (anonymous) says...
it must be a slow news day..
June 15, 2009 at 11:37 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
eyfigueroa (anonymous) says...
I'm sorry harold. I thought your 10:21 post was lighthearted but your 11:08 seemed a bit more malevolent.
"...codespeak for why well to do black men very rarely date/marry black women etc."
What's that about?
Bumpersticker, I know I didn't take offense at your 0818 comment. I thought you were being nice and funny. Perhaps a wee bit facetious, but so was I.
There is a certain beauty to a Black dog with a shiny healthy coat. Especially Labs. I too think they're gorgeous.
June 15, 2009 at 11:41 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
SCGirl0901 (anonymous) says...
Firemike - I was thinking the same thing..
but.. I do have a black lab and love him! And iceman, you hit the nail on the head.. You HAVE to spend time with those dogs (really any dog). They are not loners and will be destructive if left to entertain themselves. Mine sent me a message last week by chewing the cord off my leaf blower! We bonded alot this weekend..
June 15, 2009 at 12:03 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jcncamscott (anonymous) says...
I think the whole 'black' color of a pet is because it's a negative color. I see a big black dog and 'assume' it's mean and aggressive. So I guess I DO stereotype! Same with cats. The only black pet(dog)I ever owned, I just never connected with.
June 15, 2009 at 12:16 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
abitskeptical (anonymous) says...
firemike--too early to tell if it is a slow news day, but it sure is a day to take it slow. It feels like August out there.
All my animals--black(cats), tan (dog), black & white (cats), Asian(Siamese), green & yellow(chameleons..actually my 12 yr old's) are feeling it too. The only ones that are liking it are the green & yellow ones.
June 15, 2009 at 12:23 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Lovely_One (anonymous) says...
Wow, reems got that entire soliloquy from three small words typed by someone who he doesn't even know? Man, you're good.
June 15, 2009 at 12:23 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mungojerrie (anonymous) says...
I love my black lab, and they're great pets for a family (mine is an escape artist, but we've found a way around that).
The biggest reason I think people shy away from darker animals is because of the hair. The generic color for carpets these days is beige, and black fur doesn't hide well on beige.
The second reason is because people automatically think black dogs are aggressive. I blame Stephen King. ;-)
June 15, 2009 at 1:20 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
SpongeMunkie (anonymous) says...
The most famous "bad dog" in King's novels was a St. Bernard in Cujo. I can't recall any black dogs in any of his novels being that much of an aggressor that they would impact people's opinion of them. But excuse my ignorance, because honestly, before these 2 articles, I really never knew that some people actually have problems with what color an animal is. I can understand that someone might have a preference for one color over another, like some people would rather have a red car instead of a yellow one, but this is kind of ridiculous.
June 15, 2009 at 1:51 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
usna04 (anonymous) says...
That's what I was thinking mungojerrie. I think patches of black dog hair all around the house is a little more noticeable than lighter color hair. I only say this because I have a black cat and a cream colored pup, and it's always the black hair I tend to notice.
June 15, 2009 at 1:53 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
AFWally (anonymous) says...
Black dogs are tastier on the grill especially with Maurice's sauce.
June 15, 2009 at 2:35 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
iceman1978 (anonymous) says...
If darker hair is easier to see then it's easier to clean since you know where it is. My cat goes just about anywhere in the house but for the most part she's either in my room, the living room, or the pool room. It only takes a few minutes for me to vacuum those areas.
Dogs require more responsibility in general. You have to walk them, let them out to use the restroom, and have someone take care of them while you're away. Cats are much more independent. With a cat you can leave for the weekend and as long as the litter box is cleaned and lots of food and water left out then they'll be fine on their own for a couple of days. Not so with dogs.
Dogs have masters. Cats have staff.
June 15, 2009 at 4:01 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
HighDef (anonymous) says...
i have one of Rowdy's brothers , they're identical. I got him from Pet Helpers and he is a smart bird dog, flat coat retiever mix we think. Adopt pound pups, I've found pure breeds to be boring !
June 15, 2009 at 5:19 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
randk (anonymous) says...
We have a rescued black dog. He is about three years old now, lab mix (possibly border collie), but totally black. He is the neatest dog I have ever owned and I've had a few. I hope this article promotes more animal adoption. Thank you, PetHelpers, and the SPCA for everything ya'll do!
June 15, 2009 at 5:40 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
shoelaces (anonymous) says...
The more I see stories from Pet Helpers and read comments the more it makes me want to adopt a rescue dog...one day.
In my lifetime, we have owned mostly pure-bred dogs. The one mixed breed was probably the smartest and most protective dog we ever had. He was part lab part standard poodle...not a modern day labradoodle....you have to go a few generations to perfect that mutt...no harm meant with the term mutt...it's what all mixed breeds are. But I would say the "mutt" we had from the time I was in 6th grade until I married, and moved out was the most loyal and loveable.
Our chocolate lab got really hot too in the sun. Probably worse than a black since she had a double coat of hair. That fine, "bunny" undercoat and the coarse top coat....either typical of chocolates or just of outside dogs.
June 15, 2009 at 7:15 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
lowcountrydawg (anonymous) says...
...must be a very slow newsday!
June 15, 2009 at 8:05 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
moonpie (anonymous) says...
Man some people can turn nothing into something.
June 15, 2009 at 9:07 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
roxiann (anonymous) says...
I am so sad about this....my son recently brought home a stray black dog he found on Rivers Avenue. He risked his life to save her from being hit on the highway. We tried to find her owners but could not. We figured (I guess correctly) that she would not be adopted if we took her to a shelter because of her "common" look. So we decided to take her in even though it put a financial strain on us. She is the sweetest girl....loves to be loved and loves my other dogs. Lives for her treats each day...gives us so much joy. Please all you dog lovers out there...you do have room for one more even if you think you do not...I am so glad I took in that third dog...rescue a black dog and you will be repaid many times over. I can promise you that!
June 16, 2009 at 10:55 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mungojerrie (anonymous) says...
Sponge, you're right. I was confusing the dog from Cujo with the dog from The Omen.
June 25, 2009 at 12:52 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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