URBAN ANIMAL: Wives' tales spell trouble for black cats and dogs

Dear UrbanAnimal,

I'm a new volunteer at an animal shelter and I've been told black cats and black dogs aren't adopted as quickly as others. There is no reason for this, but it's a problem that occurs frequently at North American shelters. Can you include this in your column?

Lorie

Thank you for your suggestion, Lorie. I'm sure many people don't know black animals are often overlooked and you're right - there is no reason. Colour has absolutely no bearing on personality, health, or any other factor that may make it less appealing as a pet.

I did a quick survey among a few friends and they all acknowledged if given the choice between a black cat and an orange cat, for example, they assume they would choose personality over colour.

They felt the same toward a black dog versus any other colour. They assume they'd choose the dog based solely on personality.

Note the word "assume."

These are all people who love animals and are confident their hearts and brains look beyond appearance. That's why your letter is so important, Lorie.

When people know certain animals are less likely to be adopted simply due to their colour, they might look a little closer at these individuals when they're ready to adopt.

My survey respondents theorized black dogs may be unpopular because it's difficult to see their facial expressions compared with light-coloured animals. One woman wrote it has always been her black dogs that experienced difficulties when approaching strangers.

She believes people who fear dogs in general are likely to be extra-vigilant around dogs that are dark in colour and in particular those with black hair on their faces and heads. She often tied bright bandannas or ribbons to their collars to help announce their friendliness.

As far as black cats are concerned my panel of judges agreed some people may still harbour a long-standing connection with bad luck, witches and evil things.

In North America, black cats have an unfortunate place in history when they were believed to be symbols of evil omens, familiars of witches and general purveyors of bad luck. Call it folklore, old wives' tales or just plain ridiculous, it's possible even the most enlightened humans continue to be wary of black cats in the same way they'd prefer not to walk under a ladder or step on a sidewalk crack.

In Scotland and England black cats are a symbol of good luck and the Scottish take it a step further: a cat who crosses their path will bring them prosperity. Fishermen's wives keep a black cat in the hope it will protect their husbands while at sea. And, in some cultures, a single woman with a black cat will attract a wealthy suitor.

With all these cultural inconsistencies and with no scientific or anecdotal evidence to the contrary, it's a safe bet that black cats are...cats with black fur.

After reading this, I hope readers will make a beeline to the black cats and dogs when looking to adopt. Regardless of fur colour, all animals deserve a great home and all have lots of love to give.

Email jacque-newman@rogers.com with a question, comment or suggestion.