Go get thee a big, black dog!

Yep, I'm telling you to go out to your local shelter and adopt a big, black dog. Ok, it doesn't have to be big - although it's the BIG black dogs that are suffering from "black dog syndrome."

That's a fancy, schmancy phrase for "no one wants to adopt the big black dogs." For that matter, it happens to cats, also.

I had a beautiful, wonderful, black cat, once. I named him Merlin and he was magical. That was in the olden days when I was stupid and let him out every night. One night, he went out and never came back. I miss him, still!

Truth: I adopted him because of his color. He was sleek and beautiful and very intelligent. I have never seen another cat like him, since. The Wabby, pride and joy of my life, is beautiful and smart, but she isn't Merlin the magical cat. More's the pity.

Meanwhile, black dog syndrome is a real thing. People actually think black dogs are - I don't know - mean? Dangerous? Unloving? They base this assumption on...nothing. On thin air. On hearing that someone, somewhere once had a black dog that did something wrong. And, I say, yeah? So? Lots of dogs and cats do "bad" things - generally for good reasons!

Some people say that black dogs do not show enough facial expression. Huh? Look at this picture of a black Greyhound and tell me you don't see the "please adopt me," look in his eyes. He may be adopted by now but when I was sent the picture, he was waiting...and waiting.

The other day, I read this article about a Humane Society in OK that supported a program they called, "Black Beauty" to help get black dogs adopted. Note that this was in early Oct, and I don't know how successful it was, but it seems like a really good idea. So, why not be a Black Beauty savior and get yourself a big, black dog today? Most shelters and Humane Society locations help or include vaccinations, spay and neutering and other perks (like deworming). In the article, the author closed with this recommendation which I can't resist sharing, "Go get you a big, goofy, lovable, slobbery black dog!"

As this NY Times article notes, "The term "black dog syndrome" is not new. Julie Morris, the senior vice president of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, says that while the black dog syndrome is talked about a lot, there are no hard numbers to support the theory." And that means, it's just a theory. A theory we can put to rest by adopting big black dogs and cats.

I'm seriously going to be looking for black, when I go the the shelter in CO.