Basic black
By Christine Foster

Ever wonder what sort of animals have the toughest time getting adopted in shelters in the US and Canada? I looked it up. The answer is: black cats and black dogs. Even in places with such great adoption rates that animals barely remain on adoption row more than a week, black kittens linger. Black cats wait. Black dogs look longingly at prospective parents—and get left behind.

Why? Some people say they don’t make a connection with a black animal since they can’t see its expression in a poorly lit kennel. And for folks browsing the Internet for pets, black dogs and cats don’t always photograph as well as their lighter colored brethren.

There is the superstition confusion as well. In some cultures black cats, or dogs even, are considered lucky. In others, just seeing one cross your path is supposedly cause for concern, perhaps being still associated with witches’ familiars. But I’m on the side of the Bard, here. As Hamlet said, “There’s nothing good or bad but thinking makes it so.”

And here, thanks to several animal websites, follows a thought-provoking list of The 10 Top Reasons to Adopt a Black Cat:

10. You’ll save big on their Halloween costumes.

9. You can always find them in the grass, the sand, the snow—or on your bedspread.

8. Holding a black cat is very slimming.

7. Black cats match any decor.

6. A lint brush isn’t required for a black-tie affair or for your little black dress.

5. When you love a black cat, luck is on your side.

4. Black cats are like onyx or obsidian, beautiful, glossy and precious.

3. Hey, they don’t care what color your hair is.
2. And they don’t care what color the rest of you is, either.

And of course the number one reason to adopt a black cat:

1. They are the least likely to be adopted.

I personally think black pets are downright glamorous, mysterious and among the elite of the animal world. Let’s make the rest of July “Basic Black Week” at the SPA. Adopt a black dog—get a free training session. Adopt a black kitten—or better yet, two—and get a free thank you blanket, cat toy, and cat food package. Black is back! Heck, was it ever out of style?

Come on down to the SPA at Los Pinos 7, near the Central Bus Station. The hours are 11–2, and if you do opt for a black beauty, don’t forget to mention this article. Be sure, as well, to come to the opening of The Diary of Anne Frank, July 31, when your 250-peso admission will go entirely to benefit the animals. Enjoy a great show, meet the actors, have a glass of wine or beer and support the SPA!.