Animal Holidays & Celebrations

With so many wonderful, interesting, and fun animal holidays there are to be celebrated, I thought it would be helpful to keep a calendar of them here! This page has national, international, and world animal days. If you know of any I’ve missed, please let me know!

There are a gazillion pet holidays so I have those listed on the, well, Pet Holidays page.

January Animal Holidays

Month:

• Adopt a Rescued Bird Month

2022 Weeks: (Alpha Order)

• Bald Eagle Appreciation Days – January 22 – 23, 2022
• Christmas Bird Count Week – December 14, 2021 – January 5, 2022; December 14, 2022 – January 5, 2023
• International Hoof Care Week – January 25 – 28, 2022
• Kiss a Shark Week – January 23-29, 2022 (Fourth Full Week of January)

2022 Days: (Date Order)

• National Bird Day – January 5
• Eagle Day – January 8, 2022 (Second Saturday in January)
• Save the Eagles Day – January 10
• Albert Schweitzer’s Birthday – January 14
• Feast of the Ass (Donkey) – January 14 (Celebrates all the donkeys of the Bible)
• Appreciate a Dragon Day – January 16
• Dian Fossey’s Birthday – January 16
• Winnie the Pooh Day – January 18
• Penguin Awareness Day – January 20
• Squirrel Appreciation Day – January 21
• Rattlesnake Round Up – January 28
• International Zebra Day – January 31

February Animal Holidays

Month: (Alpha Order)

• Adopt a Rescued Rabbit Month
• Humpback Whale Awareness Month
• International Hoof Care Month
• National Bird Feeding Month
• National Goat Yoga Month
• National Wild Bird-Feeding Month
• Responsible Animal Guardian Month

2022 Weeks: (Alpha Order)

• Bird Health Awareness Week – February 20-26, 2022 (Last Full Week of February)
• Great Backyard Bird Count – February 18-21, 2022
• Homes for Birds Week – February 13-19, 2022 (Second full week of February )
• National Invasive Species Awareness Week – February 28 – March 4, 2022
• National Justice for Animals Week – February 20-26, 2022
• National Nestbox Week – February 14 – 21, 2022
• Whooping Crane Festival – February 24-27, 2022

2022 Days: (Date Order)

• Serpent Day – February 1
• Groundhog Day – February 2
• Hedgehog Day – February 2
• Marmot Day (Alaska) – February 2
• National Cordova Ice Worm Day – February 3
• Western Monarch Day – February 5
• World Animal Reiki Day – February 5
• National Hippo Day – February 15
• Champion Crab Races Day – February 17
• World Whale Day – February 19 – (Third Saturday in February)
• World Pangolin Day – February 19 – (Third Saturday in February)
• National Wildlife Day – February 22 (In 2018 this date was permanently changed from September 4th in honor of Steve Irwing’s Birthday)
• International Polar Bear Day – February 27
• National Polar Bear Day – February 27

March Animal Holidays

Month: (Alpha Order)

• Adopt a Rescued Guinea Pig Month
• Dolphin Awareness Month

2022 Weeks: (Alpha Order)

• International Festival of Owls – March 4-6, 2022 (First Full Weekend in March)
• National Aardvark Week – March 7-13 (Second Week of March)
• National Animal Poison Prevention Week – March 21-27, 2022 (Third Full Week of March)
• Termite Awareness Week – March 6-12, 2022
• Turkey Vultures Return to the Living Sign – March 11-17, 2022

2022 Days:

• National Horse Protection Day – March 1
• National Pig Day – March 1
• World Wildlife Day – March 3
• Key Deer Awareness Day – March 11
• Learn About Butterflies Day – March 14
• Save a Spider Day – March 14
• Buzzard Day – March 15
• National Panda Day – March 16
• National Farm Rescuer Day – March 17, 2022 (Third Thursday in March)
• National Poultry Day – March 19
• Swallows Return to San Juan Capistrano Day – March 19
• Save the Panther Day – March 19, 2022 (Third Saturday in March)
• Buzzard Day – March 20, 2022 (Sunday after March 15)
• World Sparrow Day – March 20
• World Frog Day – March 20
• International Day of the Seal – March 22
• Manatee Appreciation Day –  March 30, 2022 (Last Wednesday in March)

April Animal Holidays

Month: (Alpha Order)

• National Frog Month
• Adopt a Ferret Month
• Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month

2022 Weeks: (Alpha Order)

• Animal Cruelty / Human Violence Awareness Week – April 17-23, 2022 (Third Week in April)
• Bat Appreciation Week – April 3-9, 2022 (First Full Week of April)
• Be Kind to Spiders Week – April 3-9, 2022 (First Full Week of April)
• International Wildlife Film Week – April 23-30, 2022 (Also: Virtual May 1-7, 2022)
• National Animal Control Appreciation Week – April 10-16, 2022 (Second Full Week of April)
• National Animal Control Officer Appreciation Week – April 10-16, 2022 (Second Full Week of April)
• World Laboratory Animal Liberation Week – April 24-30, 2022 (Week surrounding April 24th each year)

2022 Days: (Date Order)

• National Birding Day – April 2, 2022 (First Saturday of April)
• National Ferret Day – April 2
• Jane Goodall’s Birthday – April 3
• World Rat Day – April 4
• International Beaver Day – April 7
• Draw a Picture of a Bird Day – April 8
• Zoo Lovers Day – April 8
• National Unicorn Day – April 9
• ASPCA Day (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) – April 10
• National Dolphin Day – April 14
• Save the Elephant Day – April 16
• International Bat Appreciation Day – April 17
• National Velociraptor Awareness Day – April 18
• National Yellow Bat Day – April 21
• World Day for Animals in Laboratories – April 24
• World Penguin Day – April 25
• Audubon Day – April 26
• National Help a Horse Day – April 26
• Mantanzas Mule Day – April 27
• Marine Mammal Rescue Day – April 27
• Eeyore’s Birthday Day – April 30, 2022 (Last Saturday of April)
• National Animal Advocacy Day – April 30
• National Go Birding Day – April 30, 2022 (Last Saturday of April)
• National Therapy Animal Day – April 30
• Save the Frogs Day – April 30, 2022 (Last Saturday of April)
• World Veterinary Day – April 30, 2022 (Last Saturday in April)

May Animal Holidays

Month: (Alpha Order)

• Be Kind to Animals Month
• Gardening for Wildlife Month
• International Respect for Chickens Month
• National Duckling Month
• National Pet Month

2022 Weeks: (Alpha Order)

• Be Kind to Animals Week – May 1-7, 2022 (First Full Week in May)
• Donkey Week – May 3-10, 2022
• National Heritage Breeds Week – May 15-21, 2022 (Third Full Week in May)
• The Biggest Week in American Birding – May 6-15, 2022

2022 Days: (Date Order)

• Save the Rhino Day – May 1
• Start Seeing Monarchs Day – May 7, 2022 (First Saturday in May)
• World Tuna Day – May 2
• International Wild Koala Day – May 3
• Bird Day – May 4
• International Respect for Chickens Day – May 4
• National Animal Disaster Preparedness Day – May 8
• Frog Jumping Day – May 13
• Fintastic Friday: Giving Sharks a Voice – May 13, 2022 (Second Friday in May)
• International Migratory Bird Day – May 14, 2022 (Second Saturday in May)
• World Migratory Bird Day – May 14, 2022 (Second Weekend in May)
• International Kangaroo Care Awareness Day – May 15
• National Sea Monkey Day – May 16
• Dinosaur Day – May 18
• Endangered Species Day – May 20, 2022 (Third Friday in May)
• World Bee Day – May 20
• International Turtle Day – May 23
• World Turtle Day – May 23
• World Otter Day – May 25, 2022 (Last Wednesday in May)
• Slugs Return to Capistrano Day – May 28
• Whooping Crane Day – May 28
• National Snail Day – May 29
• Pink Flamingo Day – May 29
• World Parrot Day – May 31

June Animal Holidays

Month:

• Zoo and Aquarium Month

2022 Weeks: (Alpha Order)

• Animal Rights Awareness Week – June 23-29, 2022
• Carpenter Ant Awareness Week – June 19-25, 2022 (Last Full Week of June)
• Fish are Friends, Not Food Week! – June 19-25, 2022 (Last Week of June)
• National Insect Week – June 20-26, 2022
• National Pollinator Week – June 20-26, 2022

2022 Days: (Date Order)

• Dinosaur Day – June 1, 2022
• National Black Bear Day – June 4, 2022 (First Saturday in June)
• National Animal Rights Day –  June 5, 2022 (First Sunday in June)
• June Bug Day – June 7
• World Oceans Day – June 8
• International Day of Action for Elephants in Zoos – June 8
• National Black Cow Day – June 10
• Save a Lobster Day – June 15
• World Sea Turtle Day – June 16
• Save a Fish Day – June 18
• American Eagle Day – June 20
• World Giraffe Day – June 21
• National Catfish Day – June 25

July Animal Holidays

Month: (Alpha Order)

• Adopt a Rescued Rabbit Month
• National Bison Month
• Wild About Wildlife Month

2022 Weeks: (Alpha Order)

• Celebration of the Horse Day – July 17-19, 2022 (Third Weekend)
• National Moth Week – July 23-31, 2022
• Coral Reef Awareness Week – July 25 – August 1, 2022 (Third Week in July)
• National Farriers Week – July 3-9, 2022 (First Full Week of July)

2022 Days: (Date Order)

• American Zoo Day – July 1
• Don’t Step on a Bee Day – July 10
• Cow Appreciation Day – July 12, 2022 (Second Tuesday in July)
• Shark Awareness Day – July 14
• I Love Horses Day – July 15
• Guinea Pig Appreciation Day – July 16
• World Snake Day – July 16
• Take a Monkey to Lunch Day – July 21
• Mosquito Day – July 23
• International Tiger Day – July 29

August Animal Holidays

Month: (Alpha Order)

• National Catfish Month

2022 Weeks: (Alpha Order)

• International Assistance Dog Week – August 1-7, 2022 (Starts on First Sunday in August)
• International Bat Nights – August 27-28, 2022 (Last Full Weekend in August)

2022 Days: (Date Order)

• National Sea Serpent Day – August 7
• Scottish Wildcat Day – August 8
• World Lion Day – August 10
• World Elephant Day – August 12
• World Lizard Day – August 14
• World Orangutan Day – August 19
• World Mosquito Day – August 20
• International Homeless Animals Day – August 20, 2022 (Third Saturday of August)
• National Homeless Animals Day – August 20, 2022 (Third Saturday of August)
• National Honeybee Day – August 20, 2022 (Third Saturday of August)
• International Whale Shark Day – August 30

September Animal Holidays

Month: (Alpha Order)

• National Save a Tiger Month
• National Velociraptor Awareness Month
• Save the Koala Month
• World Animal Remembrance Month

2022 Weeks: (Alpha Order)

• National Farm Animals Awareness Week – September 18 – 24, 2022 (Third week of September)
• Sea Otter Awareness Week – September 25 – October 1, 2022 (Last Week of September)

2022 Days: (Date Order)

• Save Japan’s Dolphin Day – September 1
• National Wildlife Day – September 4
• National Hummingbird Day – September 3, 2022 (First Saturday in September)
• World Vulture Day – September 3, 2022 (First Saturday in September)
• National Iguana Awareness Day – September 10, 2022 (Second Saturday in September)
• International Red Panda Day – September 17, 2022 (Third Saturday of September)
• Elephant Appreciation Day – September 22
• World Rhino Day – September 22
• National Bluebird of Happiness Day – September 24
• Fish Amnesty Day – September 24, 2022 (Fourth Saturday in September)
• International Rabbit Day – September 24, 2022 (Fourth Saturday in September)
• Shamu the Whale Day – September 26
• Happy Goose Day – September 29
• Save the Koala Day – September 30, 2022 (Last Friday in September)

October Animal Holidays

Month: (Alpha Order)

• Bat Appreciation Month
• Feral Hog Month, or Hog Out Month
• National Animal Safety and Protection Month
• Squirrel Awareness Month
• World Animal Month

2022 Weeks: (Alpha Order)

• Animal Welfare Week – October 2-8, 2022 (First Full Week of October)
• National Veterinary Technician Week – October 9-15, 2022
• National Wolf Awareness Week – October 16-22, 2022 (Third Week of October)

2022 Days: (Date Order)

• International Raccoon Appreciation Day – October 1
• World Farm Animals Day – October 2
• Butterfly and Hummingbird Day – October 3
• Blessing of the Animals at the Cathedral Day – October 4
• World Animal Day – October 4
• World Badger Day – October 6
• National Salmon Day – October 8
• Vet Nurse Day – October 14, 2022 (Second Friday in October)
• International Sloth Day – October 20
• Reptile Awareness Day – October 21
• National Mule Day – October 26
• World Lemur Day – October 28, 2022 (Last Friday in October)
• Hug a Sheep Day – October 29, 2022 (Last Saturday in October)

November Animal Holidays

Month: (Alpha Order)

• Adopt a Turkey Month
• Manatee Awareness Month

2022 Weeks: (Alpha Order)

• National Animal Shelter and Rescue Appreciation Week – November 6-12, 2022 (First Full Week of November)

2022 Days: (Date Order)

• Jellyfish Day – November 3
• National Bison Day – November 5, 2022 (First Saturday in November)
• World Numbat Day – November 5, 2022 (First Saturday of November)
• National Hug a Bear Day – November 7 (Nope. It’s for hugging teddy bears only! Though hugging real bears would be so awesome!)
• American Frog Day – November 10
• Turtle Adoption Day – November 27

December Animal Holidays

2022 Weeks: (Alpha Order)

• Christmas Bird Count Week – December 14, 2021 – January 5, 2022 (Every Dec. 14 – Jan. 5)

2022 Days: (Date Order)

• International Cheetah Day – December 4
• World Wildlife Conservation Day – December 4
• International Day of Veterinary Medicine – December 9
• National Llama Day – December 9
• National Day of Animal Rights – December 10
• National Day of the Horse – December 13
• Monkey Day – December 14
• Visit the Zoo Day – December 27