FAQ

Since launching the Black Dog Campaign we’ve had lots of questions. Here is a list of the most frequently asked. If your question hasn't been answered please contact us.

1. Why Black Dogs?

The Black Dog has been used from classical mythology through medieval folklore to modern times as a universal metaphor for depression. Sir Winston Churchill talked about his ‘black dog’, as had Samuel Johnson and other writers before him, such as Horace, the ancient Roman poet.

To bring the campaign to life we have designed visually striking statues. The Black Dogs act as a symbol to externalise moods and thoughts that are hard to communicate, and convey just how powerful, dominating and unpredictable mental illness can be. We hope these statues will help people to:

i. define their experience of the ‘invisible’ condition
ii. find a new language to express difficult inner feelings like anxiety, depression and loneliness
iii. discuss mental illness more openly, thereby promoting greater understanding and acceptance

2. Who made the dogs?

The team at SANE created the concept of Black Dog statues and generated the initial design ideas. We took our ideas to a specialist firm, 3D-Eye, and worked with them to realise the physical statues.

3. How many Black Dogs will there be?

We plan to have 40 (hopefully more) Black Dogs on display – and by the end of October four will be in circulation. We plan to introduce more dogs gradually, because the campaign runs throughout our 25th Anniversary year (July 2011-July 2012). There are also good, practical reasons why we’re doing it this way. We aim to change attitudes toward mental illness. This change cannot be achieved quickly so we need to maintain the campaign over time. We have also produced Black Dog banners, which can be used by individuals, companies and community groups to fundraise for Black Dog statues. Ultimately we hope to auction the Black Dogs to raise money for mental health. We hope that the purchasers will donate them to schools and universities. That way the Black Dogs will educate future generations on the importance of maintaining good mental health and be an enduring symbol of acceptance, understanding and compassion.

4. How much will the campaign cost?

The campaign will cost £250,000. As we’re a small charity we need to fundraise in order to produce the Black Dogs; we don’t have £250,000 that we can just allocate to this work (despite the importance and urgent need for it). SANE has to raise £5,000 to put each Black Dog on the street. 50-60% of this money goes toward the cost of production, painting the unique, decorative coat and the artwork on the plinth. We invest this surplus, together with all the other donations to the campaign into providing emotional support to people in need. As at the end of October 2011 the Black Dog Campaign fund stands at £45,000. We also know that several groups/firms are planning to make significant contributions. We anticipate these contributions will take the total to £60,000 by the end of November - over 20% towards our target. And by the year end we hope the fund will reach £100,000.
If you can, please contribute £25 to support our 25th Anniversary campaign.

5.Who is designing the coats?

We are working with artists, celebrities and members of the public to design coats for the dogs. We're thrilled that Duggie Fields and Joanna Lumley have lent their support to the campaign by designing truly stunning coats for two of the Black Dogs. We can't yet reveal the details of these much anticipated design, but we think everyone will agree they're absolutely fabulous.

Each dog also wears a collar of hope to help communicate to people suffering from depression, and other forms of mental illness, that they are not alone and help is available. The collar reinforces the key themes of the campaign: help and hope.

6. Who runs the campaign?

SANE is running the campaign. We hope to involve a wide cross-section of society in promoting the aims and objectives. This is why we have the campaign on Twitter and Facebook as well as our own website.

7. Where are the Black Dogs?

The first dog was unveiled during the Meltdown Festival at the Southbank Centre in London on 12 June 2011. It then went to the Udderbelly Festival, where it was promoted by Rory Bremner and Jenny Éclair. From there, Horace as he is affectionately known in the office, went to the N1 shopping centre in Islington, London, and he currently sits in The Plaza shopping centre on Oxford Street, London.

The second Black Dog will be unveiled on the 5th October. This statue is being sponsored by Legal & General and it will have a prime location in Leeds city centre, with the possibility of a tour of their UK offices from November.

The third and fourth Black Dogs are being finalised, and we have got a number of great locations in mind. Please let us know if you would like to see a Black Dog in your area.

It is vital to get the campaign into towns and cities, schools and universities, across the UK as quickly as possible. We have created Black Dog banners - large (7ftx5ft), medium (6ftx4ft), small (5ftx3ft), which we will provide free of charge to individuals and organisations who wish to raise funds and awareness of the campaign.

8. How can I get involved?

There are several ways each one of can make an important contribution:

i. Make a donation
ii. Create a Black Dog event
iii. Sponsor a Black Dog
iv. Sponsor a Black Dog banner
v. Follow CharitySANE on Facebook and Twitter
vi. Join the SANE Community
vii. Keep a Black Dog diary
viii. Take a photo of yourself with Horace

You can find more information on each of these actions here.

9. Will you be making small versions of the Black Dog available to buy?

Yes, we are working on a full range of merchandise. We have already taken delivery of badges and wristbands, and other ideas include small statues, stress balls and t-shirts. We would like to create mementoes that people can buy, send as gifts and share with friends and colleagues. If you'd like to raise awareness and/or fundraise for the campaign please contact fundraising@sane.org.uk and we'll happily send you some merchandise. We've got more ideas in the pipeline so please keep your suggestions coming in.