January
National Train Your Dog Month - From the Association of Professional Dog Trainers
Walk Your Pet Month - Observed by the Animal Medical Hospital and Urgent Care of Charlotte, NC, the CATalyst Council, and more
Unchain a Dog Month - Celebrated by PETA
Jan 2: National Pet Travel Safety Day - Organized by the Animal Miracle Foundation
Jan 14: National Dress Up Your Pet Day - Organized by the Animal Miracle Foundation
Jan 22: National Answer Your Cat's Question Day - Observed by PetCentric by Purina, The Conscious Cat, CVMA, The Huffington Post, and more
Jan 24: Change a Pet's Life Day - Observed by the LA Times, Examiner, FidoFriendly, and more
Jan 29: Seeing Eye Dog Day - Official holiday in New Jersey since 1999
February
Spay & Neuter Awareness Month - By The Humane Society of the United States
National Prevent a Litter Month - Celebrated by North Shore Animal League, The National Humane Education Society, and many more.
Dog Training Education Month - From Dog Training Central
Pet Dental Health Month - Celebrated by AVMA
Responsible Pet Owner's Month - A month to remember to spay and neuter our pets, get vet checkups, and keep our houses pet-safe.
Last Full Week in February: National Justice for Animals Week - From the Animal Legal Defense Fund
Westminster Dog Show - Held one weekend in February in NYC's Madison Square Garden
Feb 14: Pet Theft Awareness Day - From Last Chance for Animals
Feb 20: Love Your Pet Day - A day to love your pet -- even more than usual!
Feb 22: Walking the Dog Day - We've gathered these 5 reasons to take your dog for a walk.
Feb 23: International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day - Give your dog a special treat!
Feb 25: World Spay Day - From The Humane Society of the United States
March
1st Full Week in March: Professional Pet Sitters' Week - Hosted by Pet Sitters International
3rd Week in March: Poison Prevention Week - Be sure you know what foods are poisonous to cats and dogs, and which plants are poisonous to pets.
March 1: Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race
March 3: If Pets Had Thumbs Day - What would your pet do? Or maybe they're already crafty enough with their paws!
March 23: National Puppy Day - From the Animal Miracle Foundation
April
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month - Started by the ASPCA
Pet First Aid Awareness Month - Hosted by the American Red Cross
2nd Week of April: Animal Control Officer Appreciation Week - From the National Animal Control Association
3rd Week of April: National Pet ID Week - Observed by AVMA, Chicago Now, Examiner, and more.
April 11: National Pet Day - A holiday to celebrate and spread awareness about pet adoptions.
April 26: National Kids and Pets Day - By the Animal Miracle Foundation & Network
Last Saturday of April: World Veterinary Day - Started by the World Veterinary Association in 2000.
May
Lyme Disease Awareness Month - Observed by LymeDisease.org and the CDC, we should be mindful of our pets this month too, especially cats and dogs that are often outside in tick-heavy areas.
Chip Your Pet Month - Observed by animal clinics and hospitals, often offering discounts on pet microchipping.
First Full Week of May: National Pet Week - Hosted by AVMA to "promote responsible pet ownership, celebrate the human-animal bond, and promote public awareness of veterinary medicine."
1st Full Week of May: Be Kind to Animals Week - Hosted by the American Humane Association
1st Full Week of May: Puppy Mill Action Week - Started by Humane Society International
3rd Week in May: National Dog Bite Prevention Week - Celebrated by AVMA
May 8: Animal Disaster Preparedness Day - Hosted by FEMA and the ASPCA
June
The World's Ugliest Dog Contest - This competition held in California crowns an Ugliest Dog each year
Adopt a Cat Month - From the American Humane Association
Adopt a Shelter Cat Month - From the ASPCA
National Pet Preparedness Month - Celebrated by the American Humane Association at the beginning of hurricane season to urge pet parents to make a disaster plan.
1st Week in June: Pet Appreciation Week - Celebrated by Hartz, Furminator, and more.
3rd Week in June: Animal Rights Awareness Week - Begun in 1999 by In Defense of Animals
June 4: Hug Your Cat Day - Just make sure your cat likes hugs!
2nd Sunday in June: World Pet Memorial Day - A day to remember and be thankful for the great times we've had with pets who've crossed the rainbow bridge.
Friday After Father's Day: Take Your Dog to Work Day - Started in 1999 by Pet Sitters International
Friday After Father's Day: National Dog Party Day - Partnering with Take Your Dog to Work Day, this event extends the celebration into the night!
July
Dog House Repairs Month - Observed by Examiner, ModernDog, and more
July 15: National Pet Fire Safety Day - Hosted by ADT Security Services and the American Kennel Club
July 21: National Craft for Your Local Shelters Day - Celebrated by Sew DoggyStyle, DogTipper, and more
July 31: National Mutt Day - From the Animal Miracle Network, and yes, there's another in December!
August
National Immunization Awareness Month - Hosted by the CDC and the National Public Health Information Coalition. This is a perfect time to get up to date on your shots, as well as making sure your pets are up to date on theirs.
1st Full Week of Aug: International Assistance Dog Week - To honor assistance dogs and educate the public about the work they do.
Aug 1: DOGust Universal Birthday for Shelter Dogs - Declared by The North Shore Animal League
Aug 5: Work Like a Dog Day - A day to honor professional dogs like service dogs, therapy dogs, police dogs, and more.
Aug 16: International Homeless Animals' Day - Hosted by the International Society for Animal Rights
Aug 17: National Black Cat Appreciation Day - Celebrated by National Geographic and plenty of shelters who'll offer adoption discounts on black cats.
Aug 26: National Dog Day - Organized by the Animal Miracle Network
Aug 30: National Holistic Pet Day - Organized by the Animal Miracle Foundation, celebrated by Halo Pets and more
September
National Disaster Preparedness Month - Hosted by FEMA and the CDC
Happy Healthy Cat Month - Started by CATalyst Council
AKC Responsible Dog Ownership Days - Hosted all over the US during September, with one flagship event hosted by the AKC, these events aim to encourage pet parents to invest in education and training for themselves and their dogs.
Last Week of Sept: National Dog Week - Celebrated by Examiner, Cute Overload, and more
Last Week of Sept: Deaf Pet Awareness Week - Celebrated by Deaf Dogs Rock, among many more
2nd Sunday in Sept: National Pet Memorial Day - A day to remember our friends who have passed on.
Sept 23: Dogs in Politics Day - Celebrating the dogs of national figures, of course
Sept 28: World Rabies Day - Sponsored by the Global Alliance for Rabies Control
October
Adopt a Shelter Dog Month - From the ASPCA
Adopt a Dog Month - From the American Humane Association
Pit Bull Awareness Month - To celebrate these often misunderstood dogs
National Pet Wellness Month - Launched in 2004 by the AVMA and Fort Dodge Animal Health
Animal Safety and Protection Month - A time to remind pet parents to have a pet fire safety plan and a disaster plan.
Black Cat Month - Showing the world the beauty of black cats
Oct 1-7: National Walk Your Dog Week
Oct 4: World Pets' Day - Traditionally a day for pets to be brought to churches for blessings.
Oct 9: National Pet Obesity Awareness Day - Hosted by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention
Oct 28: Plush Animal Lovers' Day - A perfect excuse to buy your pet a new chew toy!
November
Adopt a Senior Dog Month - From the ASPCA
National Senior Pet Month - Celebrated by animal shelters and hospitals around the country
National Pet Awareness Month - Hosted by Kong
Pet Cancer Awareness Month - From the Pet Cancer Awareness Program
Pet Diabetes Month - From Merck Animal Health
First Full Week: National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week - From The Humane Society of the United States
Nov 17: National Take a Hike Day - Get out in the great outdoors and hike with your dog!
December
Dec 2: National Mutt Day - From the Animal Miracle Network, and yes, there's another in July!
