What is Black Dog Syndrome?
In a survey, Petfinder member shelter and rescue groups reported that most pets are listed for 12.5 weeks on Petfinder, whereas, less-adoptable pets (such as black, senior, and special needs pets) spend almost four times as long on Petfinder. (

Through my research I learned that Black Dog Syndrome may be caused by a combination of:

Size
Unclear facial features
Dimly lit kennels
The “genericness” of black pets
Negative portrayals of black pets in books, movies and other popular media
- A big, frightening black dog can be seen in The Hound of the Baskervilles, the Harry Potter series, both movie versions of The Omen, and even on the common “Beware of Dog” sign.
- Black cats are readily associated with witches, superstition, and bad luck.

What you can do

Whether or not you’re currently looking to adopt, you can do a lot to help pets who suffer from BDS!

Display your love of black pets proudly to demonstrate that there is nothing wrong with them.
Encourage friends to look past their first impressions of a black pet.
Tell people about BDS! It’s generally an unconscious prejudice and most people will move past it once they’re aware.
Remind people that their parents were right: personality is more important than appearance. It’s just as true for pets as for people!

Black Dog Syndrome

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