Rehoming an animal in need is extremely rewarding - but it isn't something you should jump in to on a whim. When adopting a dog from a rescue centre, you're committing to fulfil that animal's mental, physical and emotional needs until their final day. Some dogs spend less than a week in kennels before being adopted, while others end up spending years inside the same building waiting for somebody to come along and take them home. Sadly, black dogs are more likely to spend longer in shelters than lighter-coloured pets because they're "difficult to photograph" and have a "fear stigma" attached to them. It is thought black dogs spend longer in shelters because they're difficult to photograph or have connections to 'the devil' (stock photo) ( Getty Images/iStockphoto) Black dog syndrome, also known as BDS, is a phenomenon in pet adoption that sees animals with black fur being overlooked by adopters - and it isn't only dogs who feel the impact, as it is known to happen to black cats too. A statement on The Spruce Pet, a vet-reviewed website, reads: "Adopters might pass by black dogs because of a fear stigma against certain breed types - like pit bulls, for instance. "Movies and television shows often portray big, black dogs as aggressive and intimidating, which could also convince potential adopters to avoid them. "Some believe it could come down to how photogenic dogs are. Notoriously, black dogs do not photograph well. Lighter-coloured dogs, on the other hand, do. The phenomenon is called black dog syndrome (stock photo) ( Getty Images/iStockphoto) "When shelters or rescues photograph their adoptable animals to post on their website or on social media, lighter-coloured dogs may have the upper hand." Dr Stanley Coren, who works in research and in){kind=link}
Black dog syndrome is a phenomenon in pet adoption that sees animals with black fur being overlooked by adopters – some believe it is down to how photogenic they are
Rehoming an animal in need is extremely rewarding – but it isn’t something you should jump in to on a whim. When adopting a dog from a rescue centre, you’re committing to fulfil that animal’s mental, physical and emotional needs until their final day.
Some dogs spend less than a week in kennels before being adopted, while others end up spending years inside the same building waiting for somebody to come along and take them home. Sadly, black dogs are more likely to spend longer in shelters than lighter-coloured pets because they’re “difficult to photograph” and have a “fear stigma” attached to them.
Black dog syndrome, also known as BDS, is a phenomenon in pet adoption that sees animals with black fur being overlooked by adopters – and it isn’t only dogs who feel the impact, as it is known to happen to black cats too.
A statement on The Spruce Pet, a vet-reviewed website, reads: “Adopters might pass by black dogs because of a fear stigma against certain breed types – like pit bulls, for instance.