How to celebrate National Pet Day with your furry friend

Brandon Girod, Pensacola News Journal
·2 min read

We are constantly surrounded by days when we should show our pets the unconditional love and appreciation they show us. But like Valentine’s Day, sometimes it’s worth going the extra effort to make one of those days just a little more special than the others.

Cue National Pet Day. This holiday is all about making sure your furry friends are sufficiently pampered, but it also serves as a reminder about the importance of adopting pets from shelters.

When is National Pet Day

National Pet Day will be celebrated on April 11, 2024.

Dog-friendly Pensacola restaurants: Celebrate National Love Your Pet Day with a dog-friendly restaurant, bar around Pensacola

What does National Pet Day celebrate?

National Pet Day is a celebration of pets, big and small. But the less obvious answer is that the holiday was created in 2006 by Colleen Paige, an animal rescue advocate and dog trainer, to raise awareness about pets awaiting adoption in shelters.

How you can celebrate National Pet Day

Spending time with your pet is the most important way to celebrate National Pet Day, so here are some fun ideas:

  • If you don’t have a pet, or you feel like you’re in a good spot to take on another, consider spending the day visiting a shelter and adopting one.

  • Take your pet to a local park. Give them some time and space to stretch their paws and frolic until their heart’s content.

  • Consider purchasing your pet a special treat or toy. If they’re used to dry food, splurge on some nice wet food to give them a bit of variety.

  • Be sure to make time for photos — they’ll last a lifetime.

When is National Dog Day?

You might be surprised to learn that National Pet Day isn’t the only holiday Paige founded. In 2004, Paige founded National Puppy Day, National Mutt Day, National Cat Day and National Wildlife Day along with several other philanthropic days to help raise awareness around pet adoption. National Dog Day is celebrated annually on Aug. 26.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: When is National Pet Day? Here's how you can celebrate