An inherent bias against dogs that are black makes it much harder to find them new homes, the executive director of Cold Lake's humane society said.

Twenty-two of the 30 dogs at the Lakeland Humane Society are victims of what Angie Feduniak calls "black dog syndrome."

"The way animals are portrayed in movies and TV, and stuff like that, the bad dogs are the black dogs," Feduniak said.

Black dogs are also considered too common, she told CBC News this week.

"People want something that stands out, so if you have a litter of puppies and there are six black and one brown, that brown one will be picked first."

Nor do black dogs take a good picture, she said. To make them look more appealing, she places them against light-coloured backdrops, or spruces them up with distinctive blankets or coloured bandanas before photographing them.

"I just wish that people would spend more time seeing the personality because I think if they did, they would realize, many times, black dogs are amazing animals," Feduniak said.

"It's just like looking at people or anything else. I mean you can't judge a book by its cover."

Some of the black dogs have been living at the shelter for six months, waiting for a new home, she said.