National Specially-Abled Pets Day is a holiday that’s observed every year on May 3rd. It’s a day that’s designed to bring people’s awareness around to the many pets who are living with disabilities and their very special needs. It’s also a day when people are encouraged to think about adopting a disabled pet when they’re looking to add a new pet family member to their household.

Disabled pets often get overlooked by people looking to adopt, and that’s a shame because they deserve forever homes as well. So anyone wishing to celebrate this holiday can adopt a disabled pet for their home, or show appreciation to a disabled pet that they already own.

The History Of National Specially-Abled Pets Day

This holiday was created in 2006 by Colleen Paige. She created this holiday to educate the public about the importance of caring for disabled pets and finding them forever homes. It’s also a day on which people are encouraged to think about the challenges that these animals face and the special things that might have to be done to take care of them.

Facts About Disabled Pets

Let’s explore some of the facts about disabled pets that we uncovered over the course of our research.

• Pets can suffer from mobility issues, deafness, blindness, or other disabilities.
• It’s important for people to learn about disabled pets’ special needs before they commit to adopting them.
• People may need to alter their lifestyles to accommodate the needs of a disabled pet.
• Some disabled pets will require specialized medication or pain pills for the rest of their lives.

Observing National Specially-Abled Pets Day

People can observe this holiday by taking the time to consider adopting a disabled pet—a pet that normally wouldn’t get adopted by anyone else. It’s also a good day to spread the word about differently-abled pets by using the hashtag #SpeciallyAbledPetsDay on social media.