The black dog syndrome myth probably came from a study that was conducted in the 1990s, which suggested that dog coat color could influence a dog’s adoptability. However, research often misses ...

Read more: “Adopting a rescue Staffie was life-changing” It’s possibly down to what’s previously been termed ‘black dog syndrome’ – something cats are also thought to be affected by.

The Israeli military has admitted that a Palestinian man with Down's syndrome who was attacked by an army dog in Gaza was left on his own by soldiers, after his family had been ordered to leave.