Pet Holidays & Celebrations

With so many wonderful, interesting, and fun pet 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 pet days. If you know of any I’ve missed, please let me know! There are a gazillion awesome animal holidays, too! Discover them on the Animal Holidays page.

January Pet Holidays

Month:

• Adopt a Rescued Bird Month
• National Train Your Dog Month
• Unchain a Dog Month
• Walk Your Dog Month
• Walk Your Pet Month

2021 Days:

• National Pet Travel Safety Day – January 2
• Happy Mew Year for Cats Day – January 2
• National Bird Day – January 5
• National Cuddle Up Day – January 6
• National Dress Up Your Pet Day – January 14
• National Answer Your Cat’s Question Day – January 22
• Change a Pet’s Life Day – January 24
• Seeing Eye Guide Dog Day – January 29

February Pet Holidays

Month:

• Adopt a Rescued Rabbit Month
• Pet Dental Health Month
• Beat the Heat Month
• Dog Training Education Month
• National Cat Health Month
• Responsible Pet Owners Month
• Responsible Animal Guardian Month
• National Pet Oral Health Care Month
• National Prevent a Litter Month
• Spay/Neuter Awareness Month
• Unchain a Dog Month

2021 Weeks:

• Have a Heart for Chained Dogs Week – February 7-14, 2021
• National Justice for Animals Week – February 21-27, 2021

2021 Days:

• Serpent’s Day – February 1
• Doggy Date Night – February 3
• International Golden Retriever Day – February 3
• Pet Theft Awareness Day – February 14
• World Cat Day – February 17
• Love Your Pet Day – February 20
• National Walk Your Dog Day – February 22
• International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day – February 23
• Spay Day USA/ World Spay Day – February 25

March Pet Holidays

Month:

• International Rescue Cat Awareness Month
• Adopt a Rescued Guinea Pig Month
• Poison Prevention Awareness Month

2021 Weeks:

• Professional Pet Sitters Week – March 7-13, 2021 (First Full Week in March)
• National Animal Poison Prevention Week – March 21-27, 2021 (Third Full Week in March)

2021 Days:

• International Rescue Cat Day – March 2
• If Pets Had Thumbs Day – March 3
• K-9 Veterans Day – March 13
• Saint Gertrude of Nivelles Day (The Patron Saint of Cats) – March 17
• National Puppy Day – March 23
• Cuddle a Kitten Day – March 23
• Respect Your Cat Day – March 28

April Pet Holidays

Month:

• National Greyhound Adoption Month
• National Heartworm Awareness Month
• National Pet First Aid Awareness Month
• Prevention of Animal Cruelty Month
• Prevention of Lyme Disease in Dogs Month
• National Pet Month

2021 Weeks:

• International Pooper Scooper Week – April 1-7, 2021
• National Raw Feeding Week – April 1-7, 2021
• National Animal Control Appreciation Week – April 11-17, 2021 (Second Full Week in April)
• National Dog Bite Prevention Week – April 11-17, 2021
• National Pet ID Week – April 17-23, 2021 (Third Week of April)
• Animal Cruelty / Human Violence Awareness Week – April 18-24, 2021 (Third Week in April)

2021 Days:

• Every Day is Tag Day – April 3, 2021 (First Saturday in April)
• National Siamese Cat Day – April 6
• National Dog Fighting Awareness Day – April 8
• National Hug Your Dog Day – April 10
• Dog Therapy Appreciation Day – April 11
• National Pet Day – April 11
• Pet Owners Independence Day – April 18
• Pet Owners Day – April 19
• Bulldogs are Beautiful Day – April 21
• National Lost Dog Awareness Day – April 23
• Pet Tech CPR Day – April 24, 2021 (Last Saturday in April)
• World Veterinary Day – April 25
• National Pet Parent’s Day –  April 25, 2021 (Last Sunday in April)
• National Kids and Pets Day – April 26
• Free Feral Cat Spay Day – April 27
• International Guide Dog Day – April 2, 2021 (Last Wednesday in April)
• Hairball Awareness Day – April 30, 2021 (Last Friday in April)
• National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day – April 30
• National Animal Therapy Day – April 30
• National Tabby Day – April 30

May Pet Holidays

Month:

• Be Kind to Animals Month
• Lyme Disease Prevention Month
• Responsible Animal Guardian Month
• National Service Dog Eye Examination Month
• National Chip Your Pet Month
• Pet Cancer Awareness Month
• National Pet Month

2021 Weeks:

• National Pet Week – May 2-8, 2021 (First Full Week in May)
• Be Kind to Animals Week – May 2-8, 2021 (First Full Week in May)
• Puppy Mill Action Week – May 3-9, 2021 (Begins the Monday before Mother’s Day)

2021 Days:

• National Purebred Dog Day – May 1
• International Doodle Dog Day – May 1, 2021 (First Saturday in May)
• Hug Your Cat Day – May 3
• National Specially-abled Pets Day – May 3
• Mayday for Mutts –  May 2, 2021 (First Sunday in May)
• National Animal Disaster Preparedness Day – May 8
• National Dog Mom’s Day – May 8, 2021 (Saturday before Mother’s Day)
• International Chihuahua Appreciation Day – May 14
• National Rescue Dog Day – May 20
• International Hug Your Cat Day – May 30

June Pet Holidays

Month:

• Adopt-a-Cat Month
• National Pet Preparedness Month
• Adopt-a-Shelter-Cat Month
• National Microchipping Month
• Social Petworking Month

2021 Weeks:

• Pet Appreciation Week – June 6-12, 2021 (First Full Week in June)
• National Pet Wedding Week – June 13-19, 2021
• Animal Rights Awareness Week – June 20-26, 2021 (Third Week in June)
• Take Your Dog to Work Week – June 22-25, 2021 (The Mon-Fri Week Following Father’s Day)

2021 Days:

• Hug Your Cat Day – June 4
• National Animal Rights Day – June 6, 2021 (First Sunday in June)
• Best Friends Day – June 8
• World Pet Memorial Day – June 8, 2021 (Second Tuesday in June)
• Take Your Cat to Work Day – June 21
• National Garfield Day – June 19
• Ugliest Dog Day – June 18, 2021 (Third Friday in June)
• National Dog Party Day – June 21
• Take Your Dog to Work Day –  June 25, 2021 (Friday after Father’s Day)
• Cat World Domination Day – June 24

July Pet Holidays

Month:

• National Dog House Repair Month
• National Lost Pet Prevention Month
• Beat the Heat Month

2021 Days:

• Independence Day – July 4 (This US holiday is no holiday for dogs and other domestic pets; the sounds of fireworks cause many pets (especially dogs and cats) to panic and run, resulting in many lost pets every year.)
• National Kitten Day – July 10
• ID Pet Day – July 11
• All-American Pet Photo Day – July 11
• National Pet Fire Safety Day – July 15
• National Craft for Your Local Shelters Day – July 21
• No Pet Store Puppies Day – July 21
• National Mutt Day – July 31

August Pet Holidays

Month:

• National Immunization Awareness Month
• Rawgust Celebration Month (celebrating raw feeding for pets)

2021 Weeks:

• International Assistance Dog Week – August 1-7, 2021 (Starts on First Sunday in August)
• Pet Fashion Week – August 29- September 4, 2020

2021 Days:

• DOGust Universal Birthday for Shelter Dogs – August 1
• Work Like a Dog Day – August 5
• International Cat Day – August 8
• Spoil Your Dog Day – August 10
• National Check the Chip Day – August 15
• Saint Roch’s Day – August 15 (patron saint of dogs)
• International Homeless Animals Day – August 21, 2021 (Third Saturday of August)
• Clear the Shelters Day – August 21, 2021 (Third Saturday of August)
• National Black Cat Appreciation Day – August 17
• National Homeless Animals Day – August 21, 2021 (Third Saturday of August)
• National Take Your Cat to The Vet Day – August 22
• National Dog Day – August 26
• Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day – August 28
• National Holistic Pet Day – August 30

September Pet Holidays

Month:

• Happy Healthy Cat Month
• AKC Responsible Dog Ownership
• National Disaster Preparedness Month
• National Guide Dogs Month
• National Pet Memorial Month
• National Pet Insurance Month
• Animal Pain Awareness Month
• Animal Service Dog Month
• Pet Sitter Education Month

2021 Weeks:

• National Dog Week – September 19-25, 2021 (Last week of September)
• Deaf Pet Awareness Week – September 19-25, 2021 (Last week of September)
• Adopt a Less Adoptable Pet Week – September 19-25, 2021 (Last week of September)

2021 Days:

• Ginger Cat Appreciation Day – September 1
• National Dog Walker Appreciation Day – September 8
• National Hug Your Hound Day – September 12, 2021 (Second Sunday of September)
• National Pet Memorial Day – September 12, 2021 (Second Sunday of September)
• Puppy Mill Awareness Day – September 18, 2021 (Third Saturday in September)
• Responsible Dog Ownership Day – September 18, 2021 (Third Saturday in September)
• Meow Like a Pirate Day – September 19
• Love Your Pet Day – September 20
• Dogs in Politics Day – September 23
• Remember Me Thursday – September 23, 2021 (for shelter animals waiting for adoption)
• World Rabies Day – September 28

 

October Pet Holidays

Month:

• National Animal Safety and Protection Month
• Adopt-A-Dog Month
• Adopt-A-Shelter Dog Month
• National Pet Wellness Month
• National Pit Bull Awareness Month
• National Service Dog Month

2021 Weeks:

• National Walk Your Dog Week October 1-7 (First Week of October)
• Animal Welfare Week – October 3-9, 2021 (First full week in October)
• National Veterinary Technician Week – October 17-23, 2021 (Third week in October)

2021 Days:

• National Black Dog Day – October 1
• National Walk Your Dog Day – October 1
• National Fire Pup Day – October 1
• World Animal Day – October 4
• World Pet’s Day – October 4
• National Pet Obesity Awareness Day – October 9
• National Pug Day – October 15
• National Feral Cat Day – October 16
• Global Cat Day – October 16
• National Fetch Day – October 16, 2021 (Third Saturday in October)
• National Pitbull Awareness Day – October 30, 2021 (Last Saturday in October)
• National Black Cat Day – October 27
• National Cat Day – October 29

 

November Pet Holidays

Month:

• Pet Diabetes Month
• Adopt a Senior Pet Month
• National Pet Awareness Month
• National Senior Pet Month
• Pet Cancer Awareness Month

2021 Weeks:

• National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week – November 7-13, 2021 (First full week of November)
• National Cat Week – November 7-13, 2021 (First full week of November)

2021 Days:

• National Cook for Your Pets Day – November 1
• National Canine Lymphoma Awareness Day – November 7
• National Black Cat Day – November 17
• Humane Society Anniversary Day – November 22

 

December Pet Holidays

Month:

• Cat Lover’s Month

2021 Days:

• National Mutt Day – December 2
• International Animal Rights Day – December 10
• Cat Herder’s Day – December 15