NORFOLK
It's billed as a "Blowout adoption event for our black babies."
The Norfolk Animal Care Center, the city's animal-control facility, is offering half-off fees on black dogs and cats starting the day after Thanksgiving, dubbing the event "Black Fur-iday."
While the promotion might be for a good cause, some worry that the flier circulating about the event might be offensive because it refers to unwanted black animals as black babies. Animal groups everywhere say they find it more difficult to place black cats and dogs in homes.
"On the face of it, I do think it's insensitive to African Americans who did come to this nation as slaves and were sold," Norfolk NAACP President James Rivers said. "It does seem sort of strange they would use that as a promotion for selling animals."
"Yet I know that in many instances we do things without thinking about the broad implications," Rivers added.
But it doesn't bother Jeff Roberts, chief executive officer of the Norfolk Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Some people consider their pets as children, he said.
Norfolk Animal Care Center Manager Barbara Hays said she never considered that the flier might be upsetting.
"That was never the intention," she said. "We were trying to play off the commercialism of Black Friday to try to get animals into homes for the holidays.
"Everyone knows we are all about the animals."
Since The Virginian-Pilot's inquiry earlier this week, the wording on the flier has changed to "Blowout adoption event for our black furry friends." Hays was not working Thursday and could not be reached for follow-up comment.
But Norfolk's animal care facility isn't the only group that plans to host such an event.
The Virginia Beach SPCA also is reducing adoption fees on its black animals the day after Thanksgiving, known in the retail world as Black Friday.
Its executive director, Sharon Adams, declined to comment on the Norfolk flier. However, she said adoption of black animals "is a tough topic. It tracks our own sensitivities."
Christie Chipps, executive director of the Portsmouth Humane Society, said that while the society's shelter has run specials on some hard-to-move animals, such as mature cats, "We try not to push the color issue."
Still, they all said that black dogs and cats are considered the hardest shelter animals to adopt.
The trend has not been statistically documented, but animal groups across the country say it's a universal issue. Many local shelters say they don't keep those numbers and there's no national clearinghouse to collect that information.
"I think it's because they look so similar," Norfolk's Hays said. "To humans, they almost look like one animal. People tend to go with animals that are flashier, more eye-catching."
And of course, there is also the matter of the variety of prejudices that tend to conspire against black animals.
For felines, a commonly held superstition is that black cats bring bad luck.
Canines are more complicated. Animal rescue groups call it Black Dog Syndrome.
Most black dogs are big and are mixed breeds, both considered negatives when it comes to choosing a pet, Terri Crisp, an SPCA International official, said.
"You could walk through any shelter in the U.S. and you'd count more large black dogs than anything else," she said.
In the shelter world, they're known as BBDs: big black dogs. Many are mixes that include Labrador, Doberman, Rottweiler and chow.
"People tend to want small, cute, unique dogs that are as close to purebred as they can get," Crisp said.
BBDs carry a stereotype of being more ferocious, which animal experts bark about.
"Dogs are aggressive based on their environment, on the way they're raised and treated, not because of breed," Crisp said.
At least two Web sites were created to dispel the myths that surround big black dogs and to help find them homes - www.startseeingblackdogs.com and www.blackpearldogs.com.
The Norfolk SPCA staff works hard to get potential adopters to consider personality over color and other physical traits, Roberts said.
That's sometimes difficult, he said, especially because he's had customers search for a pet to match their furniture.
Debbie Messina, (757) 446-2588, debbie.messina@pilotonline.com
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i have a dream
that my pets will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their fur but by the content of their character.
Apologies to Dr. King.
Well, Well....
The only mistake the Norfolk Animal Care Center made was in not proofreading and seeing the term "black babies" as potentially offensive. Yes, many pet owners call our pets "babies."I get the the association with Black Friday and trying to get the black pets adopted. I have to commend James Rivers, the NAACP president for seeing this issue as an oversight and not an intentional act. Perhaps instead of being an issue that "tracks our own sensitivities," the fact that there are lots of black dogs in shelters could be a matter of housekeeping. Black dogs shedding fur is more obvious in a home that an a tan dog's shedding fur. In the article, the author described the "Black Dog Syndrome" and said that many are mixes that include Labradors, Dobermans, Rottweilers and Chows. Except for the Labrador, all of those other breeds have a ferocious reputation. Labradors are the most gentle breed of dog in existence. They are gentle giants. I am a white owner of three black dogs. I love the way their coats shine--no dog coat looks as beautiful as a black dog's coat. I had a Black Lab for 13 years and he was the sweetest dog. He allowed three children and two strays into his domain with not eve
Animals not Humans
They are dogs and cats, call them what they are and be done with it, case closed.
Some People need to get a life
I get so tired of stories that start out with "some people"....the media needs to identify who "some people" are and what their agenda is.
ummmm...really?
So I have a black baby, a white baby, and a brown baby all adopted from the Norfolk SPCA. I guess that makes me an equal opportunity dog lover isn't that great! So the only thing I find disturbing about this add is that there are obviousley an abundance of animals at NACC, that they have to offer a discount on adoptions. As if it isn't bad enough that they have to take over the care of peoples pets because they have abandoned, mistreated, or simply didn't want to take responsibility for them. Now they can't even get back the full amount of money that they have put into them. For all of these people that are offended by the flyer how many of you have surrendered or simply let your dog or cat out without taking responsibility for it? If you have not been able to afford your pet, maybe you shouldn't be online or have a computer, maybe this should have been given up before the life that you claimed responsibility for.
And also this was the Norfolk Animal Care Center not the Norfolk SPCA, just to clarify and the SPCA and PETA are not what give this area a bad name...Well maybe PETA does....SPCA definitely not...
As we say in England
What a load of bollocks!
Color does not matter
at the Portsmouth Humane Society, they will euthanize anything and everything. They ARE NOT prejudice! Sad, Sad, Sad. Nice to see their new "leader" finally show herself.
What exactly is your agenda?
Why slam a non-profit that does it's best to save animals' lives? It always bewilders me when people try to point out everything the shelter does wrong, when the ones we should be blaming are the irresponsible owners that put the animals there in the first place.
Just for your information, both the Norfolk SPCA and PHS are considered No-Kill shelters. In VA, all that means is that they have to euthanize under 20% of their intake. Both shelters make the decision to euth the least adoptable in order to take in more animals from more irrespsonsible owners.
SPCA "Adopt Our Black Babies"
dumb. thats all I can say. Over-sensitive, over-reaching "political correctness" , not to mention self-absorbed ego. this is about helpless animals, who will be euthanized more than likely if homes are not found for them. Animals who happen to have black fur. It is not about people in any way, shape or form - black, white, yellow, red, whatever. We adopted a "BBD" (Big Black Dog) from the SPCA. She is just the type of dog that fits the profile of "dogs nobody wants." And she is the BEST. Smart, loving, just full of life. The best dog ever! To think how close she was to being "put to sleep" just scares the heck out of me. If we had not taken her ...
This is nothing more than a bunch of bunk.
I do not think black dogs now support the NAACP or The Virginian Pilot. Black dogs want to be adopted. Organizations that consistently scream racism without foundation to forward their cause are bias. It is about time the public ignore and shun such unfounded accusations. This is nothing more than a bunch of bunk.
At The Risk Of Getting Pummeled
First of all, what is Debbie Messina doing writing such a story? She's supposed to be The V-P's Transportation reporter. Did she butcher Wednesday's TPO meeting so badly that she's been sent to the woodshed?
The lesson here is that you have to watch your words carefully in public in the 21st Century. The irony is that the media surrounding this has probably given the pet adoption event more publicity than they ever dreamed of.
For those of you who feel that the ghosts of the past are gone, think again. Riding HRT virtually daily, I see many young African-Americans who will stand or double up in a seat in the front of the bus with empty seats in the rear. That's where their grandparents were consigned, and they're not going back there.
Silly but not offensive!
I support the Norfolk SPCA via annual donations and have friends employed by the shelter. They are caring and generous people. My brown baby (now 4) and black baby (died at age 14) were both adopted from the Norfolk SPCA as puppies. I find offense, not at this ad but at their naming of pups. Diva was just that - a diva. Trouble was more trouble than not :)
I'm an African American citizen that not only appreciates the love and care that is given to animals living in the No Kill Shelter but also the hard work that goes into volunteer, educational, and community programs in the African American community that it serves.
Heed the call Norfolk - give a dog a bone (black, white, brown, and "All American Mix").
Shhh
Add another word to the list of words that you are not allowed to say.
This is stupidity at it's best. . .
One of the coolest pets I own is a 24 pound black cat! He's always up to something and it's usually quite funny.
black babies
I got two at home, and they are the furry kind. Im wearing all black today, and I use white trash bags at home. what does this make me? Um, nothing special I can guarantee that! But I'm sure I'd get adopted over a black cat or dog these days. I volunteer in the animal community here in Hampton Roads, and I have to tell you, the black cats and dogs are overlooked constantly. It's a shame, cuz they are sweet and loving and adorable, but yet, are not chosen simply because they are black. Not to mention the ratio of pets euthanized simply due to not being able to find homes for. I applaud the shelter for being creative in their marketing ways to find homes for these unwanted animals, taking advantage of a mega shopping day on the calendar to try to focus on finding these animals a forever home. Not to mention that if you go into the shelter on Black Friday and want to adopt a tiger striped cat or a yellow dog, they are going to let you!! Its a promotion people - get over it!! There's 121 comments on this story. How unreal..I'm sure other topics in today's newes were barely skimmed over, let alone commented on. Shows you what a problem we have with todays mainstream media. Unbelieva
Irrelevant
The NAACP once again demonstrates its irrelevance.
Cats and Dogs
They are colorblind. Too bad people aren't. The country is in deep trouble on several fronts and still people have time to bicker about race. Bigotry runs both ways. Get over it.
Are you kidding me?
This is just about the most stupid thing I have ever heard! Everything is a racial issue with some folks. Whenever it doesn't go their way it's a racil thing. Next they will want a black sun just for the african-americans!
Slow news day indeed
Okay, for what ever it's worth to ya, I'm white and I've owned three black dogs a mut, a black lab and my now black German Shepherd. I also have three kids two white and one black. What does this have to do with anything....I don't know really. Anyway, hope all the hoopla results in the adoption of more homeless pets. P
By the Way
this must have been a slow newsday. The promotion and flyier was totally creative. Kudos to the PR firm.