Big Black Dog (and Cat) Myths -Are they true?
Source: ralph and jenny
Few animals are the subject of as many myths, both good and evil, as the black cat and the black dog.
It is a sad fact of life that, in rescue centres, black dogs and cats are usually the least popular with people looking for a new pet to rescue. But why is this and are the myths surrounding black dogs and cats true?
Black Dog Syndrome
There don't seem to be statistics on Black Dog Syndrome, but ask any shelter or rescue centre and they will tell you all about it. It seems that white fluffy dogs are always adopted before a black fluffy dog. The same goes for yellow, chocolate and black labradors; the yellow and chocolate labs will get adopted first.
There seem to be many theories on this. One is that black is associated with evil and white with goodness. In addition, many of the larger breeds that are associated with aggression tend to be black dogs. Some people have suggested that a black dog barking through a fence, as they're commonly heard and seen doing in shelters, look more menacing than other dogs. It has also been suggested that black dogs do not photograph as well as white dogs in a rescue shelter.
Black cats also seem to get a bad deal.
So, why are black cats and dogs overlooked?
Ancient Lore
The answer for all of this may lie in Viking mythology and declarations made by religious leaders in Europe centuries ago. For instance, in Norse mythology, two black cats pulled the Goddess of Love, Freya's chariot and some lore reads that she rewarded the felines by turning them into witches.
Devil in Disguise
In the 1200's, the Roman Catholic Church in Europe took an official stance on black cats. Pope Gregory IX told believers in 1233 that the devil routinely met his worshippers disguised as a black cat. However, prior to the 13th century, the church had no opinion on black cats.
As a result of the church's opinion on cats, especially black cats, felines were routinely thrown to their deaths off of castle walls. The mass killing of cats during those times is what some historians theorise gave birth to The Black Death in the 1300s. Cats were no longer catching and killing rodents, which carried fleas and the bubonic plague.
In addition, fear of witchcraft meant that many widows who had cats as pets were also killed as witches. For instance, in the US, black cats played a part in the Salem Witch Trials in the 1600s.
Black dogs, in English folklore, are associated with the devil and apparitions. Whilst some, such as the Barghest in Yorkshire and the Black Shuck in Suffolk are depicted as signs of bad luck and death (in fiction they are mentioned in Bram Stoker's Dracula and The Hound of the Baskervilles), others, such as the Gurt Dog in the west country, are thought of as benevolent.
Luck Strikes
By the 17th century, the hysteria had died down in Britain. King Charles I felt his cat brought him good fortune. He loved his pet black cat so much that it is said the feline had it's own full-time sentry. However, within 24 hours of his black cat's death, he was arrested and beheaded and, consequently, black cats are now considered to be good luck in the U.K.
In the 20th century, Winston Churchill, Prime Minister during World War II, had a black cat named Nelson that sat in on his cabinet meetings. His counterpart in America, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, also had one of the most famous dogs in history, Fala, a black Scottish terrier, that sat in on strategic planning sessions.
Most shelter workers and rescues work hard to dispel the myths. In reality, a black dog or cat should be regarded for what they offer us as companions. It is a shame that they are so often overlooked!
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