Animal abandonment is one of the scourges of contemporary Spanish society. In fact, 104,447 dogs were abandoned in 2016, according to the annual report prepared by the Affinity Foundation. A horrifying figure, as we never tire of repeating.
Although all dogs suffer equally when they are abandoned, some unfortunately have less hope than others, as they are less likely to be adopted.
Among the dogs with the fewest chances are black dogs. Because of superstition and because, in the collective imagination, black dogs are more violent or aggressive than light-haired ones. This is known as “black dog syndrome”, which we told you about recently, along with a recent initiative designed by a photographer to combat it.
But they are not the only ones. Senior dogs also have a very hard time, although adopting an older dog has more advantages than disadvantages. And if not… just ask actress Sara Rivero, who told us her love story with Peter, her rescued elderly dog. But sometimes, even when it comes to adoption, people focus more on a dog’s exterior than on its inner qualities. They make poorly considered decisions that tend to be selfish (“the younger the dog, the more years we will have ahead of us”). In a way, this reasoning is very similar to that applied when adopting children: the smaller the child, the more opportunity I have to help them start from scratch, forget the bad things in their past… and supposedly the adjustment period will be easier. But that is not always true.
And finally, we cannot forget all those abandoned dogs that are unattractive. They have it very, very difficult indeed. To the point that 3 out of 10 die in shelters, according to data collected by the Lliga Protectora d’Animals i Plantes de Barcelona.
And what is an unattractive dog? Logically, beauty depends on the eyes of the beholder. An unattractive dog is one that has had a hard time and suffered mentally and physically. It is an imperfect dog. With the marks of age or life. It is a dog with “some flaw.” Dogs you do not find in puppy stores. Dogs without pedigrees or a defined breed. If these “unfortunate-looking” dogs (in human eyes) also have age as a factor… we are faced with an impossible mission. Their life will probably end in a shelter. Through our indifference, we contribute to turning them into outcasts.
This happens, as we know, because in many cases dogs are treated as objects. And they become gifts. “How could you give someone an old, ugly, or sick dog as a gift?!” someone might think. Their logic tells them that, just as they would not give away a damaged handbag, they cannot give away a dog that is not perfect, adorable, and worthy of appearing in an advertising spot. But as we never tire of repeating dogs are not things.
And we know this, as do all those ARISTOPARENTS and pet lovers. Anyone who loves dogs knows that you do not choose a dog; the dog chooses you. All it takes is a look or an expression for magic to happen. Those who truly love dogs do not necessarily think in terms of breeds, nor do they divide pets into those that “are in good condition and those that are not.” In the eyes of a true dog lover, they are all equal and all deserve the same opportunities and the same responsible treatment.