Written by Kat Morea, Director and Co-founder, MUTTS Dog Rescue

We’ve briefly touched on this before but with five black dogs currently in our care and three up for adoption with hardly any attention, we feel the need to elaborate on the very real phenomenon, Black Dog Syndrome (BDS).

It’s a known fact that less-adoptable pets - like black dogs - spend almost four times as long in rescue or shelter care.

A dog is a dog regardless of its colour and a rescue in need is a rescue in need despite its features.

So why? Why does Black Dog Syndrome exist and what causes it?

For one, pop culture and mythology. Black dogs are typically portrayed in negative ways and seen as bad omens. Another reason being black dogs are less ‘noticeable’ and they don’t photograph as well (a complete myth, by the way). To be completely blunt, black dogs photograph just as good as light-coloured dogs, it’s just that some people don’t know how to take a proper photo.

Whatever the reason, it’s just downright sad. Adopting a dog goes far beyond what they look like. You must take into consideration their personalities and whether or not they’re a fit for you and your family.

As emphasized on our website, our moniker goes beyond what you see at first glance. We represent the underdogs, the MUTTS.

So please, if you’re looking to adopt, do not overlook the black dogs. They deserve a second chance as much as all the others.

Having said that, we have three black dogs currently up for adoption – two of them with ZERO applications and one has been in our care since April.