With so many festivities celebrated throughout the year, it’s worth asking today: when is Pet Day celebrated?
Do you know anyone who doesn’t empathize with or like animals? Of course, there are cases, but we dare say they are very few.
Pets do nothing but give love and joy to their owners. What kind do you have? A dog, cat, or let us guess, a hamster?
Without a doubt, this date reminds us of how valuable each of them is in our lives. It even invites us to raise awareness about those creatures on the streets or in shelters.
That’s why we dedicate this post to our furry friends. Keep reading and learn more about this special day.
Table of contents
Pet Day is celebrated on April 11th
To begin with, it’s time to reveal when Pet Day is celebrated: April 11th.
Its goal is to celebrate animals, spread love for them, and encourage humans to have respectful interactions with them.
Moreover, the occasion should serve to raise awareness about animals in shelters, adoption alternatives, and ways to provide them with help.
Remember that the literal meaning of pet does not only refer to dogs or cats. It also includes all species that can be kept at home.
For this reason, this day is ideal for strengthening the bond with your pet and appreciating their presence and the benefits they bring to your life.
Yes, a pet’s touch will lower your blood pressure and stress levels. It will also increase happiness for both of you.
History of National Pet Day
But who proposed this celebration? The protagonist of this whole story is Colleen Paige, an American who is dedicated to advocating for animal welfare. In 2006, she decided she wanted to celebrate pets for the joy they bring to everyone.
As an expert on the subject, she also thought that this date should serve to raise public awareness about animals in shelters.
For example, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), 6.3 million animals enter shelters each year. Paige knew this and hoped her initiative would help reduce that number. Has she succeeded?
In reality, the number has decreased. However, many animals are euthanized due to the overcrowding of these places. In this sense, promoting adoption is another of the main ideas behind National Pet Day.
7 Ways to Celebrate Pet Day
Clearly, knowing when Pet Day is celebrated not only gives us certain responsibilities toward animals. This information invites us to celebrate with them.
How? By letting them know how much they mean to us.
The best part is that it’s not an exclusive day. That is, in addition to celebrating your pets, you can also consider those of others or those without owners.
It’s the perfect opportunity to hug them and show how important they are to you.
Here are the 7 best ways to celebrate.
1.Learn more about Pet Day
Now that you know when Pet Day is celebrated, it’s time to learn more about everything this topic entails.
Among other things, during this day, research the proper diet you should provide to your companion.
}Another piece of information you shouldn’t miss is the importance of deworming and the needs you must meet for optimal growth and development.
Likewise, as mentioned above, take a few minutes to learn about the challenges posed by animal abandonment and how to help put an end to it.
2.Adopt a pet from a shelter
Do you already have a pet and want another? Have you never had a companion animal and are thinking about getting one?
Celebrate this day by adopting. Go to a local shelter or contact a rescue organization and take home the one you like the most.
Another option is to volunteer and help care for them. How? You’ll likely need to take them for walks, feed them, or bathe them.There’s more! Sponsor the life of one or more animals.
3.Join a pet rescue organization
This is a special way to celebrate this day. Go beyond volunteering and become a permanent member of a rescue organization.
Dedicate time to continuing their commendable work driven by empathy and compassion for these animals.
These groups provide food, veterinary care, and much love to animals that arrive at their spaces due to abandonment, accidents, mistreatment, etc. T
hey also offer necessary shelter until they find a permanent home.
So, take advantage of this celebration and join any of these organizations. Due to overpopulation, they always need more people to join their teams.
4.Donate to a shelter or animal protection organization
If you don’t have time to visit the animals in shelters for a few hours, and even less to work as a volunteer, there’s another option.
Consider making donations, even if they’re small, as you’ll be helping to change their lives.Animal protection organizations largely depend on these contributions.
This is because they finance food, shelter, medical care, and more with them.
Undoubtedly, these groups are beacons of hope for these abandoned creatures, and your support on this date is crucial to their well-being.
5.Give gifts to other pets
In this type of celebration, we always give gifts, right?
So, your pet deserves to be pampered. Take them to the spa and dress them in new clothes.
Yes, nowadays, there are many stores that offer these services. It’s even a good day to go to the park or have a party with their friends.
Don’t miss the opportunity to give gifts to your loyal companion and other pets.
Need some ideas? Give hygiene products specifically for them, wipes to clean their ears, food, treats, and blankets.
Don’t forget interactive toys. Make sure they’re made of material that won’t harm them.Stop!
Without a doubt, the best gift is attention. Put your phone aside and spend time petting and playing.
6.Create a social network for your favorite pets
Many animal videos have gained popularity on social networks. These platforms are ideal for your pet to have a place on the web.
This way, many people will get to know them and enjoy their antics.However, as we’ve seen, this is a date where we should raise awareness.
Therefore, it’s a good time to use this medium to inform. Share interesting facts like the contact information of local shelters.
Encourage the public to adopt, invite them to donate, etc.You can even start a debate on important topics. Among them, natural feeding, canine education, and more.
7.Take your pet to the vet
If we talk about responsibilities, dedicate a few hours of this day to taking your pet to the vet.
Ensure they have unbreakable health. The specialist will perform the necessary check-ups and verify if their vaccinations are up to date.
Does your pet have any illness? After evaluating their current condition, the vet will prescribe the best treatment.
Similarly, they’ll determine whether it’s appropriate to change their diet.In reality, this is the only way your pet will be able to fully enjoy all the love you can give them.
Other Pet-Related Celebrations in April
Here we’ve talked about when Pet Day is celebrated. But we must emphasize that April is the month for all the animals that faithfully accompany us. More than five festivities are held to honor them.
Let’s see what they are:
- National Siamese Cat Day – April 6th
- National Dog Fighting Awareness Day – April 8th
- National Dog Bite Prevention Week: April 14th-20th
- Hairball Awareness Day – April 24th
- National Kids and Pets Day – April 27th
- National Pet Parents Day – April 27th
- National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day – April 30th
When is Pet Day Celebrated? Start Celebrating It
If we deeply analyze what is celebrated on this date, another question arises: why not celebrate it every day?
You have a loyal companion who accompanies you and gives you all their love. They demand nothing in return, only expect you to reciprocate with your affection.
So, don’t wait until every April 11th to let them know. Pamper them and take care of them every moment of their life.
And now that you know when Pet Day is celebrated, don’t forget about those in shelters. Help them and visit them constantly; you’ll be like a comforting touch amid their loneliness.
Read more: