National
Pet Day
April 11, 2023
National Pet Day takes place every year on April 11. Our pets do so much for us every day of the year, the world decided to dedicate an entire day to celebrating the joy and companionship that pets bring into our lives!
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Pets make people happier!
The goal of National Pet Day is to celebrate and bring awareness to the special bond between humans and their pets.
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Pets reduce stress!
Although dogs and cats are the most popular pets, National Pet Day is for all the animals that keep us happy and healthy—even snakes and spiders.
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Pets improve our mental health!
Knowing how much people benefit from having a pet, Colleen Paige, a U.S. based animal welfare advocate and pet expert, founded National Pet Day in 2006 and it is now celebrated in over 10 countries worldwide including Ireland, the UK, Italy, Spain, and Australia.
*Source: Vetster survey of 1,000 pet parents
FAQ
With all kinds of pets waiting in shelters to find their forever homes, Colleen Paigewanted to bring attention to pet adoption worldwide.
Approximately 6.3 million animals enter animal shelters in the United States every year. Of those, approximately 3.1 million are dogs and 3.2 million are cats are in need of forever homes. Source: ASPCA
The holiday motto is “Don’t shop! Adopt!” to encourage people looking for purebred dogs and cats to contact rescue organizations instead of going to a breeder.
Social media helped to spread the word about National Pet Day which is celebrated by pet lovers worldwide. Even celebrities share their love on National Pet Day, including Taylor Swift, Ricky Gervais, Cee Lo Green, Jimmy Fallon, Willy Nelson, Kevin Bacon, Seth Myers, and Carrie Underwood, Barack Obama and many others.
National pet days are celebrated throughout the year and with a focus on native animals in each country. These include:
| Country | Holiday | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Japan | Cat Day - celebrating feline friends! | February 22nd |
| Thailand | National Elephant Day - celebrating native elephants in the region! | March 13 |
| Latvia | Zirgu Diena - horses are celebrated on this day! | January 17 |
| Italy | Similar to Groundhog Day, Italy has observes Hedgehog Day! | February 2nd |
| Poland | Day of help for forest animals - Poland observes the positive impact of animals have on the environment | February 11 |
