The Ultimate List of 2021 Pet Holidays
Back by popular demand our master list of pet holidays are here! ICYMI last year we created an ENTIRE calendar with a year’s worth of graphics and captions. The calendar is now more than 80% off and you can snag it here!
January Pet Holidays
Month-Long Celebrations
- Walk Your Pet Month
- National Train Your Dog Month
- Unchain a Dog Month
Day Celebrations
- January 1: New Year’s Day
- January 5: National Bird Day
- January 14: National Dress Up Your Pet Day
- January 18: Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- January 20: Penguin Awareness Day
- January 20: Inauguration Day
- January 21: Squirrel Appreciation Day
- January 22: National Answer Your Cat’s Question Day
- January 24: Change a Pet’s Life Day
- January 29: Seeing-Eye Guide Dog Anniversary
February Pet Holidays
Month-Long Celebrations
- Pet Dental Health Month
- Dog Training Education Month
- National Cat Health Month
- Responsible Pet Owners Month
- Spay/Neuter Awareness Month (AKA Beat the Heat Month)
- Pet Dental Health Month
Week-Long Celebrations
- February 7–14: Have a Heart for Chained Dogs Week
- February 15–16: Westminster Kennel Club Annual Dog Show
- February 23–29: National Justice for Animals Week
Day Celebrations
- February 2: Groundhog Day
- February 3: Doggie Date Night
- February 3: National Golden Retriever Day
- February 14: Pet Theft Awareness Day
- February 14: Valentine’s Day
- February 15: President’s Day
- February 20: Love Your Pet Day
- February 22: Walking the Dog Day
- February 23: International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day
- February 23: National Dog Biscuit Day
- February 25: World Spay Day
- February 25: Spay Day USA
- February 27: Polar Bear Day
March Pet Holidays
Month-Long Celebrations
- Poison Prevention Awareness Month
- Adopt a Rescued Guinea Pig Month
- National Frozen Food Month
Week-Long Celebrations
- March 1–7: Professional Pet Sitters Week
- March 21–27: National Poison Prevention Week
Day Celebrations
- March 1: National Pig Day
- March 3: If Pets Had Thumbs Day
- March 13: K-9 Veterans Day
- March 14: Learn About Butterflies Day
- March 17: St. Patrick’s Day
- March 17: Saint Gertrude of Nivelles Day (patron saint of cats)
- March 19: Poultry Day
- March 20: World Sparrow Day
- March 23: National Puppy Day
- March 23. Cuddly Kitten Day
- March 28: Respect Your Cat Day
- March 30: Take a Walk in the Park Day
April Pet Holidays
Month-Long Celebrations
- Canine Fitness Month
- Active Dog Month
- National Adopt a Greyhound Month
- National Heartworm Awareness Month
- National Pet First Aid Awareness Month
- Prevent Lyme Disease in Dogs Month
- Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month
Week-Long Celebrations
- April 1–7: International Pooper Scooper Week
- April 1–7: National Raw Feeding Week
- April 11–17: Animal Care and Control Appreciation Week (second full week in April)
- April 11–17: National Dog Bite Prevention Week (second full week in April)
- April 18–24: Animal Cruelty/Human Violence Awareness Week (third week in April)
- April 18–24: National Pet ID Week (third week in April)
- April 23–29: National Scoop the Poop Week
Day Celebrations
- April 1: April Fool’s Day
- April 3: Every Day is Tag Day (first Saturday in April)
- April 4: Easter
- April 6: National Siamese Cat Day
- April 8: National Dog Fighting Awareness Day
- April 10: National Hug Your Dog Day
- April 11: National Pet Day
- April 11: Celebrate Shelter Pets Day
- April 11: Dog Therapy Appreciation Day
- April 19: National Cat Lady Day
- April 21: Bulldogs are Beautiful Day
- April 22: Earth Day
- April 23: National Lost Dog Awareness Day
- April 24: World Veterinary Day (last Saturday in April)
- April 25: National Pet Parents Day (last Sunday in April)
- April 25: World Penguin Day
- April 26: National Kids and Pets Day
- April 27: National Little Pampered Dog Day
- April 28: International Guide Dog Day (last Wednesday in April)
- April 30: Hairball Awareness Day (last Friday in April)
- April 30: Adopt a Shelter Pet Day
- April 30: National Therapy Animal Day
May Pet Holidays
Month-Long Celebrations
- National Pet Month
- National Foster Care Month
- Responsible Animal Guardian Month
- Lyme Disease Prevention Month
- Pet Cancer Awareness Month
- Chip Your Pet Month
- National Service Animal Eye Exam Month
Week-Long Celebrations
- May 2–8: American Humane’s Be Kind to Animals Week (first full week of May)
- May 2–8: Dog Anxiety Awareness Week
- May 2–8: National Pet Week (first full week of May)
- May 3–9: Puppy Mill Action Week (starts the Monday before Mother’s Day)
Day Celebrations
- May 1: National Purebred Dog Day
- May 1: Save the Rhino Day
- May 2: Mayday for Mutts (first Sunday in May)
- May 3: National Specially-Abled Pets Day
- May 5: Cinco de Mayo
- May 8: National Dog Mom’s Day (second Saturday in May)
- May 9: Mother’s Day
- May 9: National Animal Disaster Preparedness Day
- May 14: International Chihuahua Appreciation Day
- May 16: National Sea Monkey Day
- May 20: National Rescue Dog Day
- May 23: World Turtle Day
- May 24: National Escargot Day
- May 31: Memorial Day
June Pet Holidays
Month-Long Celebrations
- Adopt-a-Cat Month® from the American Humane Association
- Adopt-a-Shelter-Cat Month
- National Foster a Pet Month
- National Pet Preparedness Month
- National Microchipping Month
Week-Long Celebrations
- June 6–12: Pet Appreciation Week( first week in June)
- Mid-June: Animal Rights Awareness Week
- June 21–25: Take Your Pet to Work Week®
Day Celebrations
- June 4: Hug Your Cat Day
- June 8: Best Friends Day
- June 8: World Pet Memorial Day (second Tuesday in June)
- June 15: National Lobster Day
- June 19: National Garfield the Cat Day
- June 19: Juneteenth
- June 20: Father’s Day
- June 21: National Dog Party Day
- June 21: Take Your Cat to Work Day®
- June 24: Cat World Domination Day
- June 25: Take Your Dog to Work Day®
July Pet Holidays
Month-Long Celebrations
- National Lost Pet Prevention Month™
- National Pet Hydration Awareness Month
- Dog House Repair Month
- Independent Retailer Month
Week-Long Celebrations
- July 27–August 3: National Feed a Rescue Pet Week
Day Celebrations
- July 1: ID Your Pet Day
- July 4: Independence Day
- July 9: Cow Appreciation Day
- July 11: All-American Pet Photo Day
- July 16: World Snake Day
- July 31: Mutt’s Day
- July 15: National Pet Fire Safety Day
- July 21: National Craft for your Local Shelters Day
- July 21: No Pet Store Puppies Day
- July 25: National Parents Day
- July 26: National Dog Photography Day
- July 31: International Friendship Day
August Pet Holidays
Month-Long Celebrations
- Rawgust (celebration of raw feeding for pets)
- National Immunization Awareness Month
- National Back-To-School Month
Week-Long Celebrations
- July 27–August 3: National Feed a Rescue Pet Week
- August 2–8: International Assistance Dog Week
- August 10–16: Give a Dog a Bone Week
Day Celebrations
- August 1: DOGust Universal Birthday for Shelter Dogs
- August 5: Work Like a Dog Day
- August 6: Fresh Breath Day
- August 8: International Cat Day
- August 8: National CBD Day
- August 10: Spoil Your Dog Day
- August 10: National Lazy Day
- August 15: National Check the Chip Day
- August 16: Saint Roch’s Day (patron saint of dogs)
- August 17: National Black Cat Appreciation Day
- August 17: International Non-Profit Day
- August 21: International Homeless Animals’ Day
- August 21: National Honey Bee Day
- August 22: National Take Your Cat to the Vet Day
- August 26: National Dog Day
- August 30: National Holistic Pet Day
September Pet Holidays
Month-Long Celebrations
- Happy Cat Month
- National Service Dog Month
- National Pet Insurance Month
- Responsible Dog Ownership Month
- Pet Sitter Education Month
- Animal Pain Awareness Month
- National Disaster Preparedness Month
Week-Long Celebrations
- September 12–18: Adopt-a-Less-Adoptable-Pet Week (third week in September)
- September 19–25: National Deaf Dog Awareness Week (last full week in September)
- September 19–25: National Dog Week (last full week in September)
Day Celebrations
- September 1: Ginger Cat Appreciation Day
- September 8: National Dog Walker Appreciation Day
- September 11: National Hug Your Hound Day (second Sunday in September)
- September 11: National Pet Memorial Day (second Sunday in September)
- September 13: Pet Birth Defect Awareness Day
- September 17: National Pet Bird Day
- September 18: Puppy Mill Awareness Day (third Saturday in September)
- September 18: Responsible Dog Ownership Day (third Saturday in September)
- September 19: National Meow Like a Pirate Day
- September 22: Elephant Appreciation Day
- September 23: Dogs in Politics Day
- September 23: Remember Me Thursday® (an international social media awareness day that brings attention to the millions of adoptable pets waiting in shelters and remembers those pets who never got a second chance. Share your rescue pet using #RememberMeThursday)
- September 25: International Rabbit Day
- September 28: World Rabies Day
October Pet Holidays
Month-Long Celebrations
- Adopt-A-Dog Month®
- Adopt-a-Shelter Dog Month
- National Animal Safety and Protection Month
- National Pet Wellness Month
- National Pitbull Awareness Month
Week-Long Celebrations
- October 1–7: National Walk Your Dog Week (first week of October)
- October 3–9: Animal Welfare Week (first week of October)
- October 17–23: National Veterinary Technician Week
Day Celebrations
- October 1: National Fire Pup Day
- October 1: National Black Dog Day
- October 4: World Animal Day
- October 13: National Pet Obesity Awareness Day
- October 16: National Feral Cat Day
- October 17: National Fetch Day
- October 21: National Pets for Veterans Day
- October 27: National Black Cat Day
- October 28: Plush Animal Lovers Day
- October 29: National Cat Day
- October 30: National Pitbull Awareness Day (last Saturday in October—unless Halloween falls on the last Saturday, then another date is chosen)
- October 31: Halloween
November Pet Holidays
Month-Long Celebrations
- Adopt a Senior Pet Month
- National Pet Awareness Month
- National Senior Pet Month
- Pet Cancer Awareness Month
- Pet Diabetes Month
- Peanut Butter Lovers Month
- Sweet Potato Awareness Month
Week-Long Celebrations
- November 1–7: National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week (first full week of November)
- November 28–December 6: Hanukkah
Day Celebrations
- November 1: National Cook for Your Pets Day
- November 4: Chicken Lady Day
- November 7: National Canine Lymphoma Awareness Day
- November 11: Veterans Day
- November 15: National Philanthropy Day
- November 17: National Take a Hike Day
- November 20: National Adoption Day
- November 25: Thanksgiving
- November 25: National Dog Show (always broadcast in the US on Thanksgiving)
- November 26: Black Friday
- November 27: Small Business Saturday
- November 29: Cyber Monday
December Pet Holidays
Month-Long Celebrations
- National Cat Lovers’ Month
- Safe Toys and Gifts Month
Week-Long Celebrations
- November 28–December 6: Hanukkah
- December 26–January 1: Kwanzaa
Day Celebrations
- December 3: National Roof Over Your Head Day
- December 4: National Cookie Day
- December 5: International Volunteer Day
- December 15: Monkey Day
- December 15: National Cat Herders Day
- December 17: Underdog Day
- December 24: Christmas Eve
- December 25: Christmas Day
- December 31: New Year’s Eve