The Black Dogs Project is a photo series that photographs black dogs against a dark background, with the intention of spreading awareness of ‘black dog bias’ which results in black dogs being adopted less frequently than lighter-colored canines. The photos were taken by Massachusetts photographer Fred Levy.
While there are no clear, hard statistics that prove that black dogs are discriminated against by pet adopters, Levy says anecdotal evidence from pet shelters suggests that black dogs are treated differently than other dogs and are more likely to be overlooked.
The photogenic dogs featured in the Black Dogs Project include a blind Labrador mix, a Labrador, a poodle, a Portuguese water dog and a German shepherd.
"I thought this project would be a good graphic challenge and everyone has a really great story to tell," Levy says. "I want to bring awareness to this issue and remind people who are searching for the perfect dog that black dogs have great personalities too."
Superstitious Dog Photography
The Black Dogs Project Captures Black Dogs Overlooked for Adoption
Trend Themes
1. Pet Adoption Awareness - More campaigns and projects that shed light on common pet adoption biases should be developed.
2. Creative Pet Photography - The utilization of creative and visually appealing photos could help pets attract potential adopters.
3. Social Media Promotion for Pet Adoption - Social media platforms can provide an accessible and far-reaching avenue for promoting pet adoption awareness and campaigns.
Industry Implications
1. Pet Industry - The pet industry should invest in more efforts and innovations that address animal biases and support pet adoption.
2. Photography Industry - Photographers could utilize their craft to address social issues such as pet adoption biases and collaborate with pet shelters and animal rights organizations in creating photography-based awareness campaigns.
3. Social Media Industry - Social media platforms should explore innovative social impact initiatives and partnerships with animal welfare groups and shelters to help address social issues such as pet adoption biases.