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