Celebrated annually on April 11th, National Pet Day is an unofficial holiday that encourages all of us to give our pets some extra attention. It is also a day to commemorate everything that our pets do for us on a daily basis. So, if you have a pet, you can do something special for them on this day by taking them for a long walk, buying them a special treat, or maybe just by spending a little bit of extra time with them. After all, don’t they deserve it?

History of National Pet Day

National Pet Day was founded by Colleen Paige—an Animal Welfare Advocate and Pet Lifestyle Expert—in 2006 to celebrate pets and the joy they bring into our homes. She also created the day to shine a spotlight on the plight of the many types of animals that are in shelters all over the planet.

Facts About Pets

• 80 million households in the United States currently have a pet.
• In the U.S., there are almost 80 million pet dogs and almost 86 million pet cats.
• With proper care, goldfish can live for 30-40 years in captivity.
• Adult dogs normally have about 42 teeth.
• Dogs only sweat through the pads of their feet.
• A group of cats is called a clowder.
• Cats sleep about 13 to 14 hours per day, on average.

Observing National Pet Day

Observing National Pet Day is pretty easy. All you have to do is take some time out of your day, or some money out of your wallet, and do something nice either for your own pets or for some of the many pets that are in shelters and rescues at this very moment. Some of the things that can be done include:

• Buy your pet a new toy or treat.
• Take pictures of your pet.
• Share photos of your pets via social media using the hashtag #NationalPetDay.
• Adopt a pet from your local shelter.
• Donate money, food, toys, and/or blankets to an animal welfare organization.
• Throw an awesome National Pet Day party for your pets.
• Help someone who needs it buy pet food or other items for their pets.
• Help organize against puppy and kitten mills.
• Volunteer at a local shelter.

Conclusion

National Pet Day is a great day to do something for a pet you love or to help one of the many abandoned pets in animal shelters around the world. After all, pets are an important part of our lives and do so much for us, so shouldn’t we give something back to them to show our appreciation