Puppy Day, also known as National Puppy Day in the U.S., is a holiday that not only celebrates the offspring of “mankind’s best friends” but also urges people to adopt puppies on this day. It is also an unofficial holiday whose goal is to put an end to the cruel practice of puppy mills and farms. So if you’re a fan of these furry creatures, then you might want to try celebrating this holiday with your friends and family on March 23^rd.

History of Puppy Day

Puppy Day was invented in 2006 by Colleen Paige, an animal behaviorists, pet & family lifestyle expert, designer and author. She is also the creator of a number of different pet-related holidays other than Puppy Day. She’s responsible for Cat Day, National Dog Day, Mutt Day, Wildlife Day and National Black Dog Day.

About Puppy Mills

Puppy mills are places where dogs are kept and bred for the purpose of later selling them. Many of these puppy mills operate under extremely inhumane conditions. The dogs are often treated as breeding machines and then when the dogs are unable to produce any more puppies, then they are either euthanized or dumped on the streets. Here are some other facts about puppy mills:

• In the United States, there are an estimated 10,000 puppy mills
• Puppy mills breed over 2 million puppies a year
• Over 1.3 million dogs are euthanized in shelters each year
• Missouri has the largest concentration of puppy mills in the Midwest
• Other U.S States with high numbers of puppy mills include Ohio, Pennsylvania and Indiana.

Celebrating Puppy Day

Puppy Day can be celebrated by adopted a puppy from your local shelter, by raising awareness about the cruel practice of puppy mills or by simply spending some one-on-one time with a puppy you currently own. You can also use the hashtag #NationalPuppyDay on social media to let everyone know that you care about puppies.