Black Dog Campaign
In 2011, to mark its 25th anniversary, SANE launched the Black Dog Campaign. The campaign aimed to increase awareness and understanding of depression and other mental illness, to introduce new emotional support services, and encourage more people to seek help.
The Black Dog has been used as a metaphor for depression from antiquity to the present day. To bring the campaign to life SANE designed striking Black Dog statues that were placed across London and other major UK cities to raise awareness, reduce stigma and misunderstanding of mental health problems and to encourage more people to seek help.
It was hoped that the physical presence of a Black Dog would help people define their experience of the ‘invisible’ condition, which characterises mental illness, as well as promoting more open discussion, understanding and acceptance. In order to deliver a positive message of support, the black dogs had a ‘collar of hope’ and wore coats designed by celebrities, artists and members of the public.
Read more about this topic: SANE (charity)
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—Paddy Chayefsky (1923–1981)
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—John Jay Chapman (1862–1933)