If you ever need a reason to celebrate – I’ve got you! Throughout the year there are numerous days, weeks, and months to various pet-related causes. I wanted to share with you in case any tickled your fancy. Some are fun, some are serious and all are important in one way or another. Take a look below and see if any strike a chord with you.

January 2022

  • National Train Your Dog Month
  • Walk Your Dog Month/Walk Your Pet Month
  • Adopt a Rescued Bird Month
  • Weight Loss Awareness Month
  • National Train Your Dog Month

January 2: National Pet Travel Safety Day; Happy Mew Year for Cats Day

January 5: National Bird Day

January 14: National Dress Up Your Pet Day

January 21: Squirrel Appreciation Day; National Hug Day

January 22: National Answer Your Cat’s Questions Day


February 2022

  • Adopt a Rescued Rabbit Month
  • National Pet Dental Health Month
  • Responsible Pet Owners Month
  • Dog Training Education Month
  • National Cat Health Month
  • International Hoof Care Month
  • Spay/Neuter Awareness Month

February 3: National Golden Retriever Day; Doggy Date Night

February 14: Pet Theft Awareness Day

February 20-26: National Justice for Animals Week

February 20: Love Your Pet Day

February 22: Walking the Dog Day; World Spay Day

February 23: National Dog Biscuit Day


March 2022

  • Adopt a Rescued Guinea Pig Month
  • Poison Prevention Awareness Month

March 1: National Pig Day; National Horse Protection Day

March 3: If Pets Had Thumbs Day

March 5: Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Raise begins (First Saturday in March)

March 6-12: Professional Pet Sitters Week

March 13: K9 Veterans Day

March 20-26: National Poison Prevention Week

March 23: National Puppy Day; Cuddly Kitten Day

March 28: Respect Your Cat Day

March 30: Take A Walk in the Park Day

April 2022

  • Pet First Aid Awareness Month
  • Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month
  • Prevention of Lyme Disease in Dogs Month
  • National Heartworm Awareness Month
  • National Frog Month
  • Canine Fitness Month / Active Dog Month

April 1-7: National Raw Feeding Week

April 3-9: International Pooper Scooper Week

April 2: National Ferret Day

April 4: World Rat Day; World Stray Animals Day

April 8: National Dog Fighting Awareness Day

April 10: National Siblings Day; National Hug Your Dog Day

April 10-16: National Dog Bite Prevention Week

April 10-16: Animal Care and Control Appreciation Week (observed the second full week of April)

April 11: National Pet Day; Celebrate Shelter Pets Day; Dog Therapy Appreciation Day

April 12: World Hamster Day

April 17-23: National Pet ID Week (observed annually for 7 days beginning on Sunday)

April 17-23: Animal Cruelty/Human Violence Awareness Week (observed the third week in April)

April 19: Pet Owners Day; National Cat Lady Day

April 21: Get to Know Your Customers Day; National Cat Lady Day

April 21: Bulldogs Are Beautiful Day

April 23: National Lost Dog Awareness Day

April 24: National Pet Parents Day; World Day for Laboratory Animals

April 24-30: National Scoop the Poop Week

April 27: World Veterinary Day; International Guide Dog Day; National Little Pampered Dog Day

April 28: National Kids and Pets Day

April 29: Hairball Awareness Day

April 30: National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day; National Therapy Animal Day; World Veterinary Day; National Tabby Day

May 2022

  • National Pet Month
  • Chip Your Pet Month
  • Responsible Animal Guardian Month
  • National Service Dog Eye Examination Month

May 1-7: National Pet Week®; Be Kind to Animals Week®; Puppy Mill Action Week

May 1: Mayday for Mutts; National Purebred Dog Day

May 3: National Specially-Abled Pets Day

May 3-9: Dog Anxiety Awareness Week

May 4: Bird Day

May 7: National Dog Mom’s Day

May 14: International Chihuahua Appreciation Day; National Animal Disaster Preparedness Day; National Dog Mom Day

May 20: National Rescue Dog Day

May 21: World Dog Day

May 23: World Turtle Day

June 2022

June 4: Hug Your Cat Day; International Corgi Day

June 5-11: Pet Appreciation Week

June 8: National Best Friends Day

June 12-18: Animal Rights Awareness Week

June 14:  World Pet Memorial Day

June 20-24: Take Your Pet To Work Week®

June 20: Take Your Cat To Work Day®

June 21: Dog Party Day

June 24: Take Your Dog To Work Day® ; Cat World Domination Day

June 29: World Day Against the Abandonment of Domestic Animals

July 2022

July 1:  ID Your Pet Day

July 10: National Kitten Day

July 11: All-American Pet Photo Day

July 15: I Love Horses Day; National Pet Fire Safety Day

July 16: World Snake Day

July 21: National Craft for Your Local Shelters Day

July 26: National Dog Photography Day

July 31: National Mutt Day

August 2022

  • National Immunization Awareness Month
  • National Wellness Month
  • Rawgust (celebrates raw feeding for our pets)

August 1: DOGust Universal Birthday for Shelter Dogs

August 4: Assistance Dog Day

August 5: Work Like a Dog Day

August 7-13: International Assistance Dog Week

August 8: International Cat Day

August 10: Spoil Your Dog Day

August 14: World Lizard Day

August 15: Check the Chip Day

August 17: National Black Cat Appreciation Day

August 20: Clear the Shelters Day; International Homeless Animals’ Day®

August 22: National Take Your Cat to the Vet Day

August 23: International Blind Dog Day

August 26: National Dog Day & World Dog Day

August 28: Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day

August 30: National Holistic Pet Day

September 2022

  • Pet-Sitter Education Month™
  • Responsible Dog Ownership Month
  • CATalyst Council’s Happy Cat Month
  • National Preparedness Month
  • Animal Pain Awareness Month
  • National Service Dog Month
  • National Pet Health Insurance Month
  • Happy Healthy Cat Month
  • National Pet Memorial Month

September 1: Ginger Cat Appreciation Day

September 8: National Dog Walker Appreciation Day; National Iguana Awareness Day

September 11: National Pet Memorial Day; National Hug Your Hound Day

September 13: Pet Birth Defect Awareness Day

September 17: AKC Responsible Dog Ownership Day; National Pet Bird Day; Puppy Mill Awareness Day

September 18-24: Deaf Dog Awareness Week; Adopt-A-Less-Adoptable-Pet Week; National Dog Week

September 20: Love Your Pet Day

September 22: Remember Me Thursday® (brings attention to the millions of adoptable pets waiting in shelters and those who never got a second chance)

September 23: Dogs in Politics Day

September 24: International Rabbit Day

September 28: World Rabies Day

October 2022

October 2-8: National Walk Your Dog Week; Animal Welfare Week

October 1: National Black Dog Day; National Walk Your Dog Day; National Fire Pup Day

October 4:  World Animal Day; World Pet Day

October 12: National Pet Obesity Awareness Day

October 15: National Fetch Day

October 16: Global Cat Day®

October 16-22: National Veterinary Technician Week

October 21: Reptile Awareness Day; National Pets for Veterans Day

October 27: National Black Cat Day (UK); National Pitbull Awareness Day

November 2022

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

November 1: National Cook for Your Pets Day

November 6-12: National Animal Shelter and Rescue Appreciation Week

November 7: National Canine Lymphoma Awareness Day

November 17: National Take a Hike Day

November 19: National Adoption Day

November 24: National Dog Show

December 2022

  • National Cat Lover’s Month

December 2: National Mutt Day

December 9: International Day of Veterinary Medicine

December 13: National Day of the Horse

Am I missing any? Comment and let me know below!