December 14, 2010 10:35 AM UTC

Blue Dog Adopts Black Dog

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• by: nancycronk

While many Americans are wondering if their grandchildren will be eating “kibbles and bits” due to extending the Bush Tax Cuts for the rich, there is other canine-related news. (This story was previously reported in Friday’s Colorado Statesman by reporter Ernest Luning.)

Senator Michael Bennet, his wife, Susan Daggett, and their three little girls, did what the Obamas did not do — they rescued a shelter mutt (the First Family was given their dog, a Portugese water dog named “Bo”, as a gift from Senator Ted Kennedy). Not just any rescue mutt, either — Bennet adopted a black dog from the Colorado Cell Dogs Prison Trained Dogs program.

According to the Humane Society of the United States, 6-8 million dogs and cats wind up in U.S. shelters every year, of whom approximately 3-4 million are euthanized due to pet overpopulation. Black dogs are much more likely to be euthanized than dogs of other colors. This is known in the animal rescue community as “black dog syndrome”.

How did the Senator’s family wind up adopting a shelter dog?

Bennet promised his three young daughters they would adopt a puppy after the grueling and intense 2010 election was over. When his daughters were asked what they would do if he failed to fulfill this “campaign promise”, his eldest daughter said she would consider “running a negative ad against him”.

True to his word, the Bennet family adopted what looks to be a schipperke/papillon mixed ten month old puppy — a little ball of black fur with a giant personality. According to Susan, “Pepper” (his new name) is well-trained, and allows the girls to do what little girls do best — smother the little pooch with affection and make-believe. He is well-mannered around their cats and guinea pigs, too. Schipperkes have a history of breeding for use as guard dogs, and the little canine has stepped into that role easily, somewhat unsure of the tall, part-time resident who spends the rest of his time in Washington.

Pepper was adopted through the Colorado Cell Dogs program in Canon City, a project of Colorado Correctional Industries. The Cell Dogs progam pairs homeless shelter animals with inmates trained in Canine Behavior Modification (CBM). Each dog undergoes an intensive four week training program to prepare them as family dogs, or for continued training as therapy or service dogs. Inmates first obtain CBM certification to train the dogs, and earn a salary for their work. The program operates in eight locations around the state.

Adopting a rescue dog is a noble act, and adopting a black rescue dog is even more so. Regardless of how you feel about Senator Michael Bennet’s politics, I hope you will join me in congratulating his family on their latest addition.

(And yes, blogger Wade Norris, you may say, “Andrew Romanoff adopted a black shelter dog before Michael Bennet did”, and you would be correct. Kudos to them both!)

Please… spay and neuter your pets!  

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