With Halloween fast approaching, thoughts of cooler temperatures, jack-o-lanterns, trick-or-treating, and the classic episode of "It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown" come cheerfully to most of our minds. Playfully ghoulish decorations adorn windows and doorways, while children talk excitedly about Halloween costumes and candy. The modern holiday of Halloween in the United States found its origin from ancient Celtic customs and is commonly symbolized with familiar characters such as ghosts, witches, vampires, bats, owls, crows, spiders, goblins, and last but not least -- black cats. The ancient Gaels believed that on October 31, the boundary between the living and the deceased dissolved, and the dead would cause problems such as sickness or damaged crops. To prevent this from happening, the Gaels held festivals with costumes and masks to mimic the evil spirits or placate them by offering sweet treats for their consumption.

So, how does any of this affect an animal shelter? Sadly, even in modern times, black animals are still the victims of harmful superstitions, negative labels, fear, and even disinterest emerging from these ancient rituals. Some are even the victims of unspeakable cruelty. Although there are no hard statistics, it is commonly understood within the animal shelter environment that discrimination against these unsuspecting creatures is prevalent.

Surprisingly often, visitors will freely associate "bad luck" with black animals, particularly black cats. Arguably, no other animal has had as many myths attributed to it as the cat. In some cultures, however, black cats are thought to bring nothing but good luck. If you live in the United Kingdom or Japan, black cats crossing your path will probably make you think that good fortune is imminent. If you live in Germany and a black cat crosses your path from left to right, you might believe that favorable times are in store for you. And in Scotland, a black kitty sitting on your porch is a sure sign of riches and happiness to come.

The truth is, black cats (and dogs) are neither lucky nor unlucky. A cat or a dog of any color does not influence one’s fortune in life, but it can potentially offer the joy of loyalty and companionship.

Take, for example, Star, one of the dogs pictured here. Star is a sweet-tempered, happy-go-lucky, loving, 8-year old female dog with silky black fur who was surrendered to the Virginia Beach SPCA with mammary tumors. With her health concerns, mature age, and black fur, the cards were stacked against her to be a highly adoptable animal.

The stars, however, were aligned for Star. The Executive Director of Virginia Beach SPCA, Sharon Adams, laid eyes upon her and there has been no separating the two since. After recuperating from surgery, Star now happily greets visitors to the Virginia Beach SPCA, attends (and naps through) staff meetings, and regularly enjoys one of her favorite pastimes -- belly rubs. She and her "person" travel home together every night where Star has gratefully found her forever home, and Sharon reports that her newfound constant companion is "yummy-licious."

The Virginia Beach SPCA invites you to help us put an end to this bizarre and hurtful stigma against black animals. Come for a visit and stop to look at the beautiful, velvety black cats and dogs with winning personalities available for adoption. Some have striking blue or green eyes and other distinctive markings that will amaze and delight you. Open your hearts and your homes and help us stamp out the untruths by making a difference for these animals one at a time.

After all, they deserve a little good luck!

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