Dogs are often chosen because they are a particular breed - one that’s recently been featured in a popular movie, TV show, or commercial, like a current trendy hairstyle. Another high priority is the color of the dog. If you are a black dog - uh-oh… your chances of adoption are pretty low. Rarely do prospective adoptive families look for personality traits that are a good match for them, or think about what level of energy is best suited for their lifestyle. Hordes of perfect companions with the most loving and loyal personalities are passed over in favor of those with a high “cuteness” quotient - you know, the Benji factor. Just as beauty in humans is more valued in our society than a great personality and a generous heart, the funny-looking dog, the all-black one, and those with the not-so-perfect bodies (like most of us two-legged beings) are doomed most of the time. I think the voluminous number of those “make me perfect” reality television shows contribute to the problem. It drives me nutty to know that all of this unconditional love is euthanized so effortlessly and with such a lack of blame.

Randy Grim founder of Stray Rescue, “Don’t Dump The Dog”