Spaniards looking to add a new furry friend to the family may have to wait as animal protection groups advocate for a pause on certain adoptions until after the Halloween season, reports Spanish digital newspaper Público.
Black cats have always had a difficult time getting adopted, dogged by superstitions about bad luck and links to the occult. But in the midst of spooky season, animal protection associations in Spain are actively limiting adoptions of these animals to prevent harm.
The city council of Terrassa, a city outside Barcelona, decided to suspend adoption of black cats entirely until November to avoid the animals being used in rituals or celebrations linked to Halloween. It’s an unusual measure, according to local authorities, but a necessary one after being alerted that some people intended to acquire the cats for nefarious purposes.
“In Terrassa, if you want to adopt a black cat, it will have to be after Halloween,” Deputy Mayor Noel Duque explained on social media, “and with proof that you are going to take care of it and love it.”
[See more: The truly scary thing about Halloween is how toxic the costumes are]
Terrassa joins a number of other cities that already restrict the adoption of black cats (and to a lesser extent, white cats) in the weeks leading up to Halloween. “At this time of year, we don’t give a single cat up for adoption. Not black, not white, not any colour,” Natalia Esteban, a member of La Posada Felina, an association that partners with various foster homes, told the press. Those who can’t get black cats, she explained, may resort to other breeds.
While some may have dark rituals in mind, others simply treat these companion animals as little more than a costume accessory, to be used and discarded after the holiday is over. Rabbits sold or adopted around Easter often suffer a similar fate. Bans can work to prevent such callous treatment of living creatures, but many organisations choose to employ stricter screening processes instead.
Lola Juliá, president of the Madrid-based shelter Abrazo Animal, said they “filter very carefully” when assessing adoptions of black cats this time of year. Juliá hopes to see more people let go of superstition and experience the “wonderful character” of black cats. “Anyone who’s had one, always wants another,” she explained. “The colour of the coat, believe it or not, says a lot about a cat’s defining characteristics. A black cat is an adorable little panther.”
