Get Over It and Adopt an Ugly Pet

by Yahoo Shine 1/25/14



Humans are attracted to beauty. We buy things because gorgeous models sell them, we fall in love based on looks, and yes, we often choose pets based on appearance.

Related: How Old Is My Pet in People Years?

"What we have found is that people are really picky," Dr. Emily Weiss, vice president of shelter research and development for the ASPCA, told Yahoo! Shine. They often arrive at an animal shelter with a preconceived idea of what they want in their pet, and looks usually top the list of important factors.

It's not the best strategy for finding the ideal animal companion. "Beauty is fur deep," animal behavior expert Nicholas Dodman, PhD, author of The Cat Who Cried For Help told Yahoo! Shine. "Pretty pets get adopted more often." He emphasized that it's crucial to prioritize temperament above appearance when picking a pet. More than four million dogs and cats are euthanized each year in the United States, a number that he feels could be reduced dramatically if prospective pet owners put more emphasis on choosing a pet with a personality that would complement their lifestyle.

For years, shelter employees have insisted that black dogs and cats are adopted less frequently and are euthanized more often, leading to a phenomenon (that's been widely covered in the media) called "Black Dog Syndrome." While theories have ranged from the fact that it's harder to see their facial features in the dim light of shelter cages to a lingering bias because black creatures were associated with bad luck in folklore, Weiss says it might be simply that there are a lot of black animals in the pet population and thus more in shelters that need to be adopted. Those looking for a pet, in turn, may also end up choosing one that literally stands out from the pack. "People get overwhelmed and pick the one animal that is a different color," she said.

More here: http://www.petsugar.com/Why-You-Should-Adopt-Ugly-Pet-33652190

 

That is a sad truth, most people would like a cute pet over not that so cute. But actually the cat in the photo above is cute for me.
People have different preferences even for pets.

 

Ugly dogs are adorable! I always feel very protective of them Also, they make me laugh. Some of them are so funny My Homer wasn't the prettiest when I first saw him. He had weird-looking, white hair on his head.
Nevertheless, I immediately fell in love with him

 

Hahahaha, omg, you made me laugh hard!!!! My dog wasn't also the most handsome, but I found his interesting facial traits interesting! I really like his grey beard!

 

Haha, a grey beard sounds kind of cute
When Homer was little, he didn't really look like a dog. He was tiny, dark and very fast. My aunt used to call him 'adorable rat"

 

Hahahahaha, yeah, I have seen baby yorkies, they look like little rats But they get so beautiful once they get big enough Look a ratty, I mean yorkie!



So tiny!

 

He is so adorable!! Looking at him makes my heart melt I'm sure it's a newborn. Homer was much bigger and more hairy when I saw him for the first time.
I remember he didn't want to sleep. He used to run all the time and encouraged everyone to play with him. His favorite game was biting our ankles. I'm so glad he doesn't do it anymore