A after getting a nail stuck in her claw is still waiting for a forever home. One year ago, Riley, arrived at CoPilot Animal Rescue (@ ) in Sanger, North Texas, after her elderly owner could no longer care for her after she sustained an injury on her farm. Despite her recovery and affectionate nature, "She's had no adoption visits in the one year she's been here, likely because of Black Dog Syndrome," a representative from CoPilot Animal Rescue told .
Riley is a wonderful companion, especially for families with young children. She has experience around babies, toddlers, and kids of all ages, and she gets along well with other dogs. She's even been known to ignore cats, and despite the occasional shoe or toy theft, she's a typical Labrador retriever with a heart full of love, the shelter said.
However, Riley's situation is not uncommon. Many black dogs like her face longer shelter stays and lower adoption rates due to a phenomenon known as Black Dog Syndrome. This bias, where black dogs are often overlooked, has no clear cause but is believed to be influenced by factors like superstition, lighting in kennels, and less visibility in online photos, according to The Spruce Pets.
In the United States, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) has found that approximately 6.3 million companion animals enter shelters each year, with around 3.1 million of those being dogs.
Texas shelters are currently facing a crisis and overcrowding is a major issue, acco.