Posted on 10/29/2006 1:34:28 AM PST by goldstategop
BOISE, Idaho (Oct. 28) - A black cat won't cross your path this Halloween, not if a northern Idaho animal shelter can help it. Like many shelters around the country, the Kootenai Humane Society in Coeur d'Alene is prohibiting black cat adoptions from now to Nov. 2, fearing the animals could be mistreated in Halloween pranks - or worse, sacrificed in some satanic ritual.
The shelter's executive director, Phil Morgan, said that while the risk may be remote, the policy will remain just in case.
Janet, a black cat, will have to wait till after Nov. 2 to be adopted in Hayden, Idaho. A local shelter fears the animals could be mistreated in Halloween pranks.
"It's kind of an urban legend. But in the humane industry it's pretty typical that shelters don't do adoptions of black cats or white bunnies because of the whole satanic sacrificial thing," Morgan said. "If we prevent one animal from getting hurt, then it serves its purpose."
Some animal experts, however, say the practice does more to hurt animals than protect them.
"Black cats already suffer a stigma because of their color," said Gail Buchwald, vice president of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals shelter in New York City. "Why penalize them any more by limiting the times when they can be adopted?"
Idaho Humane Society spokeswoman Dee Fugit said that while the temporary adoption bans used to be more common, several years of working in Idaho has proven to her there's no need for such measures.
"If somebody comes in here and they're strange enough that we'd question why they're adopting a black cat on Halloween, then we're probably not going to adopt any animal to them," Fugit said from her Boise office. "It doesn't seem to be a justifiable reason for not adopting black cats. We are absolutely inundated with cats that need homes right now."
Black cats tend to be adopted less often than other felines, Buchwald said
study published in the Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science in 2002 comparing coat color in shelter animals found that black or dark brown cats were much less likely to be adopted than white, gray or mixed-color cats, Buchwald said.
"Behaviorally, there's no difference from the color of the cat. It's tied into this whole mythology about the animal - don't let it cross your path or some foreboding or foreshadowing of evil - and that's an outdated superstition," she said.
It's not clear exactly how many shelters still seasonally ban black cat adoptions, said Kim Intino, the director of animal sheltering issues for The Humane Society of the United States, but it's a trend that seems to be fading - along with the once-common bans on bunny adoptions around Easter or puppy adoptions as Christmas gifts.
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"If there were people out there performing rituals with animals, then I would think that Halloween would be a time for that, but a good adoption process would tend to weed that out," Intino said. "There's going to be incidents of weird abuse that happen no matter what. The remedy is not banning black cat adoptions."
As for pet-lovers dying to take home a feline in Kootenai County, the shelter is happy to adopt out animals, Morgan said. Would-be black-cat owners will simply have to wait a few days. There are plenty to choose from - out of 97 cats at the shelter, 28 are black, he said.
If nothing else, he said, the ban gives the shelter a chance to educate the public about other dangers pets may face during the Halloween season.
"It gives us a chance to remind people about safety and their pets. Always make sure that you keep Halloween candy out of the reach of pets, and if you own any cat I would make sure it stays inside. Dogs can get frightened by all the kids in costume, and the constant door opening of trick-or-treating gives animals a chance to run away," he said.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus
I have two black cats (Elvis and Priscilla) and they have been a total joy!
We've had our black cat Bombay for 10 years. She's a sweetie pie.
I had a lovely black cat named Larla for 19 years and she was a sweetie. Talkative, too.
But there are weirdos out there who like to use black cats in various sick, twisted rituals, so the SPCA figures keeping them protected for a few days around Halloween just may save a furry life or two.
Talk about moonbatty. The cats THEMSELVES suffer this stigma? C'mon! She's a lefty I know it. I bet I can Google some anti-US stuff on this lady.
Skunks look and act like cats. Do they have the genes to make kittens after getting it on with a cat?
How about finding the people who do these pagan rituals and puting them in jail instead of making the cats pay for it?
I wouldn't be surprised. And no, I seriously doubt black cats feel stigmatized by their color. Mine certainly never gave any such indication. She had as much cattitude as any other kitty. LOL
Carolyn
Kitties are nice and quiet. How about dogs? Coyotes look very attractive with the tan fur and muscles and running speed. I would like to know if a greyhound ever got it on with a coyote and who has the puppies.
When I was a kid our cat Fluffy had kittens, the solid white ones and the black ones were quickly taken and we were left with Spots, who lived to a ripe old age.
But when I saw it came from northern Idaho, I realized it would be sensible.
We adopted our kitty Myrrh a year ago at Christmastime...she's been the sweetest, most loveable cat I've ever had the pleasure to be owned by. I don't know what I'd do without her.
There is a perfectly good reason.
People do "adopt" black cats for either fashion accessories on Halloween or to pull these sick stunts that they talked about. After Halloween these cats get abandoned again or neglected further.
There is no one that is going to be hurt by waiting a few days.
Cats, no matter what color are nothing but furry, four legged Democrats! All they do is lie around the house and expect you to wait on them then will cop an attitude at the drop of a hat.........
Having said that, my cat is now demanding that I go open the door to the back deck so she can decide she doesn't want to go outside....
I don't know but I do know a guy who hunts coyotes with greyhounds...In fact he has a huge greyhound/wolfhound mix......
And, yes. We have a black kitty. Named after two Generals who kicked French butt over the years. (My husband also hates the French.)
Our three boys are not like that at all. They sleep with us at night and spend their days hunting field mice and bugs. If there's a big bug in the house I call the dog and the cats come running, too. Three of them (Lucian, Reilly and the dog Dixie) hunt in a pack formation. (Lazmataz is a lover, not a fighter. He lives to be held like a baby and have his tummy rubbed... and to mount the bigger boys. He's a little confused, for a neutered kitty. He gets his butt kicked a lot.)
One morning there was a mouse under the fridge. It took them hours to catch it. Woe to the little creature who stumbles into their domain!
I had a woman who worked at a local shelter in Columbia, SC tell me why they banned black cat adoptions near Halloween years ago. The stories she told me were absolutely awful and heartbreaking. What some people will do to a defenseless animal is appalling.
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