An Innovative Idea Has Been Employed to Dress Dark-Furred Dogs in Colorful Sweaters for Better Chances of Adoption

by Stephanie

29 Sep 2021

Animal shelters continually come up with innovative ideas to get their animals adopted, especially when faced with challenging situations. The story we are sharing today exemplifies such a challenge.

A Scottish animal welfare charity organization named Scottish SPCA realized that some dogs do not get adopted due to the dark color of their coats. Compared to lighter-colored fur dogs, darker-furred dogs are adopted less frequently.

The SPCA concluded that this may be because it is harder to see a dog's expression in a photograph, especially if they have dark fur. To address this issue, they devised an innovative solution.

They decided to dress the dark-furred dogs in vibrant, colorful sweaters. To create these sweaters, they collaborated with Scottish Women’s Institutes (SWI) groups.

The colorful sweaters ended up helping in more than one way. They attracted attention to the dogs, made the dogs feel relaxed and confident when presented to potential adopters, and kept them warm in their kennels.

The superintendent of the Scottish SPCA, Sharon Comrie, shares her experience: “Knitted jackets are ideal because they are soft on the skin, have an element of give and stretch, and can be created in any, or many, colors of wool. With the support of the SWI knitters, we will be able to build up a collection of special jackets for our dark dogs to wear with pride.”

With the success of their strategy, the SPCA wants to apply it to any pet that is being overlooked by potential adopters. As Comrie shares:

“As well as making the dogs stand out, we anticipate that bright-colored jackets will provide a conversation starter. More importantly, they will help us rehome all of our dogs, regardless of the color of their coats, quickly and effectively.”

Scroll down and take a look at these dandy dogs flaunting their bright, colorful sweaters.