As so many people observed online with photos of their furry friends, National Dog Day was this past Wednesday. It’s been traditionally held on August 26 of each year since its founding in 2004 by Colleen Paige. However, due to a calendar conflict with Women’s Equality Day, National Dog Day will be observed next year on August 31.
According to their website, “National Dog Day serves to help galvanize the public to recognize the number of dogs that need to be rescued each year, and acknowledges family dogs and dogs that work selflessly each day to save lives, keep us safe and bring comfort. Dogs put their lives on the line every day – for their law enforcement partner, for their blind companion, for a child who is disabled, for our freedom and safety by detecting bombs and drugs and pulling victims of tragedy from wreckage.”
Find out more at www.nationaldogday.com and www.facebook.com/NationalDogDay
So mark your calendars, but don’t just stop there. Did you know there are a bevy of pet and animal awareness days? Here’s a partial list of those coming up for the rest of the year. NOTE: Many of these have no official sponsor and are promoted by various organizations.
SEPTEMBER
• National Pet Memorial Day – second Sunday in September [Sept. 13]
• Pet Birth Defect Awareness Day [Sept. 13] – sponsored by the MBJungle Foundation to bring bring awareness to the interactive role humans play in our pets’ physical birth defects as well as their mental health
• Dogs in Politics Day, aka “Checkers Day”, [Sept. 23] – recognizing the dogs of politicians
• National Dog Week – last full week in September
• Deaf Pet Awareness Week – last full week in September
World Rabies Day [Sept. 28] – sponsored by the Global Alliance for Rabies Control
OCTOBER
• Adopt-A-Dog Month® – sponsored by American Humane Association
• Adopt-a-Shelter Dog Month – sponsored by ASPCA
• National Animal Safety and Protection Month
• National Pet Wellness Month
• First Annual Dog Film Festival [Oct. 2-3] – this first-time event will be held in New York City and is dedicated to the bond between our barking buddies and the people they love. Here’s a video trailer – https://youtu.be/QSkFb_WUVA0
• National Walk Your Dog Week [first week of October]
• Animal Welfare Week [first full week of October]
• World Animal Day [Oct. 4] – celebrated annually on the Feast Day of St Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals. Some churches also hold a “Blessing of the Animals” ceremony that weekend.
• National Veterinary Technician Week [Oct. 11-17, 2015] – sponsored by the National Association of Veterinary Technicians of America.
• National Pit Bull Awareness Day [Oct. 31 – last Saturday in October]
• Plush Animal Lovers Day [Oct. 28] – enough said
NOVEMBER
• Adopt a Senior Dog Month
• National Pet Awareness Month
• National Senior Pet Month
• Pet Cancer Awareness Month
• Pet Diabetes Month
DECEMBER
• National Mutt Day [Dec. 2 as well as July 31]