At the pet expo, while my friends and I wandered through a building full of adoptable dogs, cats, and even bunnies, we met a sweet and lovable dog named Eddy.  Originally, we stopped at the booth to say hi to a gregarious yellow pup that had caught our eye.  But it was Eddy, with his gentle lean, and his soft brown eyes, that soon won our hearts.  Eddy was such a gem, but even at the well attended pet expo, he seemed to blend into the background and escape notice of the passersby.

This is only one instance of what is termed “Big Black Dog Syndrome”.  Black dogs, and especially big ones, are usually the last to be adopted at shelters, and they’re euthanized at a higher rate.  Because of their color, they don’t show up well behind the bars of a cage, and sometimes they seem less friendly than their brown and golden counterparts.

The organization Paws of the Planet is running a campaign to raise awareness about this issue.  Paws of the Planet was another attendee of the pet expo, and I had a chance to speak with them about their work and their mission.  Their group promotes animal welfare through grassroots fundraising and education.  As part of their “Out of the Cage, and Into Your Heart” campaign, they send yellow bandanas to shelters around the country to increase the visibility of their adoptable black dogs.

In addition to their Black Dog campaign, Paws of the Planet raises money for other pet and wildlife causes, like the intriguing “Dogs Save Cats” program for the Cheetah Conservation Fund.  Through their fundraising, Paws of the Planet sponsors Anatolian Shepherd Dogs to protect livestock in Namibia.  By using dogs instead of guns to protect livestock, the program prevents cheetah deaths at the hands of farmers.

I hope Eddy found a home at the Pet Expo . . . he will be a great addition to one lucky family!  In the meantime, I hope you’ll spread the word about the Big Black Shelter Dog Campaign and remember to say hi the least visible dogs at your local animal shelter.

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