People Are Prejudiced Against Black Animals

Many shelter workers say black dogs and cats are harder to find homes for. Possible reasons: superstition against black cats, the fact that black animals can be difficult to photograph, and negative portrayals of black animals in pop culture. Says Mike Arms, president of the Helen Woodward Animal Center, “If you think of any movie with a mean, devil dog, it’s always a black dog, and if you see a witch in a movie, they always have a black cat.” One solution: “The easiest way to make a black dog look friendly is to put it in a bright colored bandanna. Who pictures a devil dog in a yellow bandanna?”

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