175+ Pet Holidays You Can Celebrate in 2024
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We love our pets and we love to celebrate them. But did you know that there are over 175 pet holidays designed specifically for this purpose? Some of them are silly, like “If Pets Had Thumbs Day” or “Meow Like a Pirate Day,” but others are dedicated to taking care of our pet’s health or raising awareness, like “World Spay Day.”
While we know that you don’t need another reason to celebrate and spoil your pet, these annual pet holidays provide you with plenty of opportunities to show off your fur babies. We have organized them by month, so scroll down to find your new favorite holidays!
Top 175 Pet Holidays in 2024
1. January
Ring in the New Year with monthlong celebrations and special pet holidays to celebrate your furry family member.
- National Train Your Dog Month
- Walk Your Dog Month
- Unchain a Dog Month
- January 2: Happy Mew Year for Cats Day
- January 2: National Pet Travel Safety Day
- January 14: National Dress Up Your Pet Day
- January 22: National Answer Your Cat’s Questions Day
- January 24: Change a Pet’s Life Day
- January 29: Seeing-Eye Guide Dog Anniversary
2. February
Whether your pet is your special Valentine or you just like to celebrate love, February is jam-packed with pet holidays to help you celebrate.
- February 3: National Golden Retriever Day
- February 3: Doggy Date Night
- February 14: Pet Theft Awareness Day
- February 19: International Tug of War Day
- February 20: National Love Your Pet Day
- February 22: National Walking the Dog Day
- February 22: World Spay Day
- February 23: International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day
3. March
The month of March is all about awareness and keeping your pets healthy.
Monthlong Observations:
- March 6–12: National Professional Pet Sitters Week
- March 1: National Peanut Butter Lovers Day
- March 3: National If Pets Had Thumbs Day
- March 13: National K9 Veterans Day
- March 23: National Puppy Day
- March 28: Respect Your Cat Day
4. April
While you probably don’t want to subject your pet to April Fool’s Day pranks, there are plenty of other opportunities to celebrate in the month of April.
- Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month
- National Pet First Aid Awareness Month
- National Heartworm Awareness Month
- Prevent Lyme Disease in Dogs Month
- Active Dog Month
- April 3–9: International Pooper Scooper Week
- April 5: National Wildlife Week
- April 10–16: Animal Care and Control Appreciation Week
- April 17–23: National Pet ID Week
- April 6: National Siamese Cat Day
- April 8: National Dog Fighting Awareness Day
- April 10: National Farm Animals Day
- April 10: National Hug Your Dog Day
- April 11: National Pet Day
- April 21: National Bulldogs Are Beautiful Day
- April 23: World Veterinary Day
- April 24: National Pet Parents Day
- April 27: International Guide Dog Day
- April 28: National Kids and Pets Day
- April 29: National Hairball Awareness Day
- April 30: National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day
- April 30: National Therapy Animal Day
5. May
May is dog month. The holidays in May show extra love for dogs of all breeds, including rescues and the specially-abled.
- National Pet Month
- Chip Your Pet Month
- May 1–7: Be Kind to Animals Week
- May 1–7: Puppy Mill Action Week
- May 1–7: National Pet Week
- May 1: National Purebred Dog Day
- May 1: Mayday for Mutts
- May 3: Specially-Abled Pets Day
- May 8: National Animal Disaster Preparedness Day
- May 14: National Dog Mom Day
- May 14: International Chihuahua Appreciation Day
- May 20: National Rescue Dog Day
6. June
June pet holidays celebrate pets other than dogs and cats, along with the ones that we’ve loved and lost.
- National Adopt a Cat Month
- National Zoo and Aquarium Month
- National Pet Preparedness Month
- June 5–11: Pet Appreciation Week
- June 4: National Hug Your Cat Day
- June 4: International Corgi Day
- June 14: World Pet Memorial Day
- June 20: National Take Your Cat to Work Day
- June 20: Ugliest Dog Day
- June 24: Take Your Dog to Work Day
7. July
July’s celebrations focus on keeping your pets safe. Whether it’s hydration in hot weather, fire safety, or wearing ID tags, these holidays focus on prioritizing safety.
- National Lost Pet Prevention Month
- National Pet Hydration Month
- Dog House Repair Month
- July 17–23: National Feed a Rescue Pet Week
- July 18: National Zookeeper Week
- July 1: American Zoo Day
- July 1: ID Your Pet Day
- July 10: National Kitten Day
- July 11: All-American Pet Photo Day
- July 15: National Pet Fire Safety Day
- July 31: National Mutt Day
8. August
August is the slowest month for holidays for humans, but not for pets! It’s packed full of awareness days and days of remembrance.
- National Immunization Awareness Month
- National Dog Month
- August 7–13: International Assistance Dog Week
- August 1: Universal Birthday for Shelter Dogs
- August 4: Work Like a Dog Day
- August 8: International Cat Day
- August 10: National Spoil Your Dog Day
- August 15: National Check the Chip Day
- August 17: National Black Cat Appreciation Day
- August 20: International Homeless Animals Day
- August 22: National Take Your Cat to the Vet Day
- August 26: National Dog Day
- August 28: Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day
- August 30: National Holistic Pet Day
9. September
Squeeze out the last bit of the summer heat by getting outdoors with your pet to celebrate these September holidays.
- National Pet Insurance Month
- National Guide/Service Dog Month
- National Pet Memorial Month
- Pet Sitter Education Month
- Responsible Dog Ownership Month
- Animal Pain Awareness Month
- September 18–24: Deaf Dog Awareness Week
- September 19–25: Adopt a Less-Adoptable Pet Week
- September 4: National Wildlife Day
- September 8: National Dog Walker Appreciation Day
- September 11: National Pet Memorial Day
- September 11: National Hug Your Hound Day
- September 17: National Pet Bird Day
- September 17: Puppy Mill Awareness Day
- September 17: Responsible Dog Ownership Day
- September 19: National Meow Like a Pirate Day
- September 19: National Cat DNA Day
- September 23: National Dogs in Politics Day
- September 23: Remember Me Thursday
- September 25: National Schnauzer Day
- September 28: World Rabies Day
10. October
Get your costume ready because October is a month full of holidays for celebrating cats, with a few dog holidays thrown into the mix.
- Adopt a Shelter Dog Month
- Adopt a Dog Month
- National Pet Wellness Month
- National Animal Safety and Protection Month
- National Pit Bull Awareness Month
- October 2–8: National Walk Your Dog Week
- October 1: National Fire Pup Day
- October 1: National Black Dog Day
- October 4: World Animal Day
- October 12: National Pet Obesity Awareness Day
- October 15: National Fetch Day
- October 16: Global Cat Day
- October 16: National Feral Cat Day
- October 21: National Pets for Veterans Day
- October 21: National Frog Day
- October 22: Make a Dog’s Day
- October 27: National Black Cat Day
- October 29: National Cat Day
- October 29: National Pit Bull Awareness Day
11. November
While you’re preparing for the holiday season, it’s important to prioritize your pet’s safety. In addition to Thanksgiving, there are several opportunities in November to celebrate your pet.
- National Adopt a Senior Pet Month
- National Prevent a Litter Month
- November 6–12: National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week
- November 1: National Cook for Your Pets Day
- November 7: National Canine Lymphoma Awareness Day
- November 17: National Hiking Day
- November 19: National Camp Day
12. December
Pet-specific holidays are a little more scarce in December than some of the other months, but there are still many good reasons to celebrate.
- December 2: National Mutt Day (there are two every year!)
- December 4: Wildlife Conservation Day
- December 9: International Day of Veterinary Medicine
- December 10: International Animal Rights Day
- December 27: Visit the Zoo Day
Conclusion
With over 175 pet holidays throughout the year, there are tons of excuses to celebrate your furry friends! These holidays give you a great reason to throw a party, but you can also use them to raise awareness for shelter animals, spaying and neutering, or ethical breeding practices. However you choose to observe them, we hope that these pet holidays this year help you appreciate your pet all year long!
Featured Image Credit: Bachkova Natalia, Shutterstock
