Busting the Black Cat Urban Myth for National Black Cat Day

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 26, 2021

Contact: Morgan Pulleyblank
Director of Development & Communications
mpulleyblank@berkeleyhumane.org

BERKELEY, Calif. – It’s time to bust the black cat myth at Halloween: there is no reason for animal shelters and rescues to avoid adopting out black cats near Halloween, under the mistaken belief that people with evil intentions will use them for ritualized abuse or sacrifice. On the contrary, with October 27th being National Black Cat Day, now is a great time to adopt a black cat!

There are no confirmed statistics, court cases, or studies that point to nefarious adopters. Meanwhile, millions of black cats enter shelters every year looking for loving homes. Though the individual personalities and looks of these cats vary widely, solid black cats often get overlooked in favor of less common coat colors.

“Berkeley Humane is committed to ensure that every adoption provides the animal with a loving home where they will be well cared for, regardless of their looks or the time of year,” said Jeffrey Zerwekh, Berkeley Humane’s Executive Director. “We spend considerable time with each individual before they take their new pet home to ensure that they are prepared to be great pet parents and are willing to provide the best possible loving home.”

“The way we see it,” added Carly Skonnord, Pet Program Manager, “is that October is actually a great time to open your home and heart to a beautiful black cat, or maybe even two!”

Many shelters do tend to observe an even higher percentage of black cats in autumn as “kitten season” begins to wind down, so it is particularly important that these cats and kittens don’t miss out on any opportunities to find their new homes.

Who: The Berkeley-East Bay Humane Society (Berkeley Humane)

What: Animals available for adoption – Even Black Cats

Where: 2700 Ninth Street, Berkeley, CA 94710

When: In Person Cat Adoptions Every Saturday and Sunday – 11 AM – 5 PM

Why: Black cats available for adoption during the Halloween season

Tweet this! October is a great month to adopt a black cat. These cats are often overlooked this time of year due to superstitions and urban myths. Every animal in a shelter needs a loving home.

ABOUT BERKELEY HUMANE

With its origins dating back to 1895, today Berkeley Humane serves the people and animals of our community by providing life-saving programs for cats and dogs, cultivating compassion, and strengthening the human-animal bond. With the support of a dedicated and talented volunteer and staff team, Berkeley Humane intakes animals from municipals shelters around the Bay Area who are often in need of medical care, improved nutrition, enrichment and lots of love. Learn more at www.berkeleyhumane.org.