Black Dog And Cat Syndrome Awareness Month

February is Black Dog And Cat Syndrome Awareness Month? This isn’t the only observance on the calendar dedicated to black animals. There’s also Black Cat Appreciation Day (August 17th), National Black Cat Day (October 27th), Black Cat Fridays (Any Friday the 13th), and even Black Cat Appreciation Month (October). That’s all fine in our book: the more attention this issue gets, the better! A Brampton, ON vet discusses this issue below.

Black Cats

The old wives’ tails surrounding black cats go all the way back to medieval times, when Fluffy was unfairly associated with witches and witchcraft. While there is no truth to these rumors, they persist to this day. Unfortunately, those myths have some severe real-world consequences for kitties. Studies show that black cats take longer to get adopted than other kitties. Even worse: according to a study by the National Library of Medicine, black cats had the highest euthanasia rate (74.6%) and the lowest adoption rate (10.0%) of all the coat colors. They are also admitted to shelters more than any other kitty color, and can also take up as much as a third of the space in any given shelter.

Black Dogs

Black dogs suffer from many of the same misconceptions as cats. In ancient times, they were often seen as guardians of the underworld. The old stigma persists: black pups are often seen as aggressive, even today. Unfortunately, they are also overrepresented in shelters, which is one reason we’re happy to support this awareness month. However, not all the news is bad. After all, the Black Lab is one of the nation’s most popular pets. 

Reasons To Adopt A Black Pet

There are many benefits to having a black pet. For one thing, they’re always in style, and will match any outfit or décor. Plus, you can take really cute photos that only show your pet’s eyes. We never get tired of those fun ‘void kitty’ pictures. Another perk? Fido and Fluffy may actually bring good luck instead of bad. Black pets are considered fortunate in some parts of the world! Of course, the most important thing is the fact that you’ll be making a friend for life … and changing your furry friend’s life forever!

Do you have questions about your pet’s health or care? We can help! Contact us, your Brampton, ON pet clinic, anytime.