Meet Anna, Probably The World’s Loneliest Foster Dog, Who Has Had Her Heart Broken For The 8th Time

"Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole," Roger Caras once very beautifully said, and that's so true! I somehow believe that people can also make dogs' lives whole, especially when they take them from a shelter. Yet apparently, the black ones often struggle with adoption due to people's superstitions, and foster dog Anna has been no exception.

More info: Strong Paws Rescue

Anna, a black pit bull terrier mix, was found around 2 years ago left in a dumpster together with her mother and brother. The rescue team from Strong Paws Rescue thought that such a beautiful, friendly, and playful dog would have no problems with adoption, yet while Anna's mother and brother easily found forever families, she was only going from one foster home to another.

"Because of her breed and color, she’s only had one application, even though she’s an amazing dog," explained Chelsea Dom from Strong Paws Rescue. "Her mom and brother are fawn in color and were quickly adopted," she added.

The adorably sweet-looking pup has changed foster homes 8 times so far, and even though all of them provided the dog with lots of love and care, her heart was broken each time she had to leave.

"Anna’s last two moves were especially hard - she actually tried to run back inside both foster homes because she knew she was about to leave again," Chelsea shared. "She looks at the transporter with sadness in her eyes every time. Last time she buried her muzzle into the volunteer's arm as though she was seeking comfort when they were driving to her next foster placement," the woman added.

One of the dog's foster mums, Apurva Desai, says that Anna’s a truly sweet girl who takes her time to open up, show her personality and trust you, yet once she does - she’s a naughty, food-motivated, loving pup.

Anna can’t get along with cats, but she loves to be with other friendly, playful dogs, and Strong Paws Rescue still hasn't lost hope of finding her forever home.

"We really want to find her a permanent home, where she can finally feel safe, settled and loved for good," Chelsea said.

Interestingly enough, it's possible that Anna is struggling with adoption due to her fur color. There are people in the rescue community who believe that black dogs are adopted less than those with lighter coats. This phenomenon is called black dog syndrome.

Some studies showed that black dogs are often perceived as less friendly and emotionally stable than lighter-coated ones, as well as more dangerous, scary, and more aggressive. Some people would even change their walking direction after seeing a black dog.

There are also beliefs that black dogs are less photogenic than lighter-coated ones, and since many people look for pets to adopt online, through social media and shelter and rescue websites alike, they may skip over pets with black fur because their facial expressions or physical features may not be as clear or appealing.

According to Friends of the Animal Shelter, discrimination against black dogs and cats is real and they truly wait four times longer to get adopted than lighter-coated ones due to people’s superstitions.

Unfortunately, in Anna's case, it's not only her fur color that doesn't help with the adoption. She is a pit bull terrier mix and there are plenty of myths that this an inherently aggressive breed that cannot be trained and is more likely to injure a human than another.

Despite all the myths and superstitions, what matters the most is that every dog deserves a chance to find their forever home, no matter their appearance.

Love, care, and companionship would make a world of difference for Anna. Therefore, if you're looking for a loyal and adorably cute friend for a lifetime, you can find her adoption application here.