Animals national days — National Everyday

Skip to content

Category

Animals

114 days to celebrate in this category.

All days Food & Drink Animals Culture Health Fun & Games Awareness

Happy Mew Year for Cats DayJanuary 2 is Happy Mew Year for Cats Day — kick off the year with fresh toys, a clean litter box, and extra lap time.

National Bird DayJanuary 5 is National Bird Day: fill the feeders, learn a few backyard species, and appreciate the birds around and in our care.

National Penguin DayJanuary 20 is National Penguin Day, a mid-winter nod to the birds that turned surviving brutal cold into an art form.

National Squirrel Appreciation DayJanuary 21 is National Squirrel Appreciation Day — a mid-winter nod to the bushy-tailed acrobats raiding your yard and feeder.

Squirrel Appreciation DayJanuary 21 is Squirrel Appreciation Day: watch the acrobats in your yard, offer a winter snack, and enjoy the neighborhood's busiest little tenants.

National Answer Your Cat's Questions DayJanuary 22 is National Answer Your Cat's Questions Day — a playful nudge to slow down and read what your cat is telling you.

World Zebra DayJanuary 31 is World Zebra Day, celebrating Africa's striped horses and raising awareness of the rarer zebra species.

National Serpent DayFebruary 1 is National Serpent Day: a chance to appreciate snakes, learn how they actually behave, and trade fear for genuine curiosity.

Groundhog DayFebruary 2 is Groundhog Day — the folk tradition where a woodchuck's shadow supposedly forecasts six more weeks of winter.

Hedgehog DayFebruary 2 is Hedgehog Day — the older European cousin of Groundhog Day, celebrating one of the world's most charming spiny foragers.

Feed the Birds DayFebruary 3 is Feed the Birds Day: put out seed for your backyard birds when winter food is scarcest and watch who shows up.

National Golden Retriever DayFebruary 3 is National Golden Retriever Day — celebrating the sunny, loyal breed that has charmed families for generations.

World Bonobo DayFebruary 14 is World Bonobo Day: a moment to meet one of our closest living relatives and support its threatened Congo Basin home.

National Love Your Pet DayFebruary 20 is National Love Your Pet Day — a warm reminder to slow down and spoil the animals who share your home.

National Walking the Dog DayFebruary 22 is National Walking the Dog Day — lace up, grab the leash, and give your dog the sniffs and steps they crave.

National Dog Biscuit DayFebruary 23 is National Dog Biscuit Day — bake a batch, read a label, and reward your dog with a wholesome treat.

International Polar Bear DayFebruary 27 is International Polar Bear Day, spotlighting the Arctic's great bear and the sea ice it depends on.

National Pig DayMarch 1 is National Pig Day: celebrate one of the smartest farm animals, support a sanctuary, and appreciate pet pigs and their people.

World Wildlife DayMarch 3 is World Wildlife Day, the UN's celebration of the planet's wild animals and plants, and a nudge to help protect them.

National Learn About Butterflies DayMarch 14 is National Learn About Butterflies Day: a chance to get to know these pollinators and the gardens that keep them flying.

National Panda DayMarch 16 is National Panda Day, celebrating the giant panda and one of conservation's genuine success stories.

National Poultry DayCelebrated March 19, National Poultry Day tips a hat to the chickens, ducks, turkeys, and geese that feed the world.

World Frog DayMarch 20 is World Frog Day, a cheerful spotlight on frogs and toads and the ponds, gardens, and wetlands where they live.

World Sparrow DayMarch 20 is World Sparrow Day: notice the humble house sparrow, offer nesting spots and seed, and help a familiar bird that is quietly declining.

National Puppy DayMarch 23 is National Puppy Day — celebrate puppies, support ethical adoption, and give the young dogs in your life extra care.

Respect Your Cat DayMarch 28 is Respect Your Cat Day — honor your cat's boundaries, instincts, and preferences with a day built around what they want.

National Ferret DayApril 2 is National Ferret Day: celebrate these playful, mischievous carnivores and brush up on the care that keeps them thriving.

International Beaver DayApril 7 is International Beaver Day — a salute to nature's engineer, whose dams shape wetlands that countless other animals rely on.

Draw a Bird DayApril 8 is Draw a Bird Day: pick up a pencil, sketch a bird, and share the joy of a small, kind creative tradition.

National Farm Animals DayHeld every April 10, National Farm Animals Day celebrates cows, sheep, goats, and more — and the humane care they deserve.

National Pet DayNational Pet Day is April 11 — celebrate every pet, from dogs to rescue rabbits, and back the ones still waiting in shelters, with real care how-tos.

National Hamster DayApril 12 is National Hamster Day: celebrate these pocket-sized pets and upgrade the enclosure, wheel, and care they quietly need.

National Dolphin DayApril 14 is National Dolphin Day: celebrate one of the ocean's smartest, most social animals and help protect the clean seas they need.

Save the Elephant DayApril 16 is Save the Elephant Day, a moment to learn about elephants and back the fight against poaching and habitat loss.

National Bat Appreciation DayApril 17 is National Bat Appreciation Day, when bats emerge from hibernation — a chance to appreciate the world's only flying mammals.

National Cat Lady DayApril 19 is National Cat Lady Day — reclaim the label with pride and celebrate the people who love cats loudly.

National Bulldogs Are Beautiful DayApril 21 is National Bulldogs Are Beautiful Day: celebrate the underbite, the wrinkles, the snoring, and the surprisingly big heart.

National Beagle DayApril 22 is National Beagle Day, a celebration of the merry, nose-first hound whose curiosity and floppy ears win hearts everywhere.

National Lost Dog Awareness DayApril 23 is National Lost Dog Awareness Day — update ID tags, check microchips, and learn what to do if a dog goes missing.

World Penguin DayApril 25 is World Penguin Day: celebrate these beloved seabirds, learn about the threats they face, and support the work protecting them.

National Adopt a Shelter Pet DayApril 30 is National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day — meet the dogs and cats waiting in shelters and consider giving one a home.

National Tabby DayApril 30 is National Tabby Day: a nod to the striped, swirled, and spotted cats whose famous coat is a pattern, not a breed.

National Purebred Dog DayMay 1 is National Purebred Dog Day, a day to celebrate the heritage, predictable traits, and diversity of purpose-bred dog breeds.

Save the Rhino DayMay 1 is Save the Rhino Day: learn about these armored giants and back the fight against poaching that threatens their survival.

International Leopard DayMay 3 is International Leopard Day: a day to appreciate the elusive big cat and support coexistence between people and leopards.

National Specially-abled Pets DayMay 3 is National Specially-abled Pets Day — celebrating disabled pets and the joyful, full lives they lead with support.

Wild Koala DayMay 3 is Wild Koala Day: a moment to appreciate Australia's sleepy eucalyptus-loving marsupial and back the wild habitat it needs to survive.

International Respect for Chickens DayMarked every May 4, International Respect for Chickens Day asks us to see the hen as the curious, social bird she really is.

National Donkey DayEvery May 8, National Donkey Day (also World Donkey Day) honors the patient, clever working animal behind millennia of human labor.

World Migratory Bird DayWorld Migratory Bird Day falls on the second Saturday of May (May 9 in 2026), honoring the birds that travel thousands of miles each year.

National German Shepherd DayMay 10 is National German Shepherd Day, a chance to celebrate one of the world's most loyal, hardworking, and beloved dog breeds.

International Chihuahua Appreciation DayMay 14 is International Chihuahua Appreciation Day: a celebration of the world's smallest dog breed and its enormous personality.

National Rescue Dog DayMay 20 is National Rescue Dog Day — celebrate adopted dogs and the shelters and rescues that give them second chances.

World Turtle DayMay 23 is World Turtle Day: appreciate turtles and tortoises, help one cross the road safely, and rethink them as lifelong pets.

International Day of the MarkhorMay 24 is International Day of the Markhor: a UN day for the spiral-horned wild goat of Asia's high mountains and a rare conservation comeback.

World Otter DayWorld Otter Day falls on the last Wednesday of May (May 27 in 2026) — a splashy celebration of these playful river and sea mammals.

World Parrot DayMay 31 is World Parrot Day: celebrate these brilliant, social birds, enrich a companion parrot's life, and support wild parrot conservation.

World Milk DayHeld every June 1, World Milk Day (an FAO initiative since 2001) celebrates dairy and the cows, goats, and farmers behind it.

National Hug Your Cat DayJune 4 is National Hug Your Cat Day — but on your cat's terms: learn the right way to hold, cuddle, and connect.

World Sea Turtle DayJune 16 is World Sea Turtle Day, celebrating ancient ocean travelers and the beaches where their hatchlings begin.

World Albatross DayJune 19 is World Albatross Day, honoring the ocean wanderers with the longest wingspan of any living bird.

American Eagle DayJune 20 is American Eagle Day, honoring the bald eagle, the US national symbol, and one of conservation's great comeback stories.

National Dachshund DayJune 21 is National Dachshund Day: a nod to the long, low, stubbornly charming "wiener dog" bred to dig badgers out of burrows.

World Giraffe DayJune 21 is World Giraffe Day, held on the longest day of the year to honor the tallest animal on earth.

World Meerkat DayJuly 3 is World Meerkat Day: a chance to appreciate southern Africa's sentinel-standing, tight-knit desert mongooses and the work to protect them.

National Kitten DayJuly 10 is National Kitten Day — celebrate kittens, support adoption over buying, and learn what tiny cats really need.

Shark Awareness DayJuly 14 is Shark Awareness Day: swap the fear for facts about the misunderstood predators that keep our oceans healthy.

National Guinea Pig Appreciation DayJuly 16 is Guinea Pig Appreciation Day: celebrate these chatty, gentle pets and make sure their space, diet, and company are right.

World Snake DayJuly 16 is World Snake Day, a chance to replace fear with facts about one of the planet's most misunderstood animals.

International Tiger DayJuly 29 is International Tiger Day, a global push to protect the world's largest cat and the wild forests it needs to survive.

National Goldfish DayAugust 2 is National Goldfish Day: celebrate one of the oldest pet fish and rethink how to give it a genuinely good life.

International Owl Awareness DayAugust 4 is International Owl Awareness Day, a chance to learn about the silent night hunters living closer to you than you think.

International Cat DayInternational Cat Day is August 8 — celebrate your cat and back the shelter ones still waiting, with real facts, how-tos, and gear worth buying.

World Lion DayAugust 10 is World Lion Day, celebrating the only truly social big cat and rallying support for shrinking wild prides.

World Elephant DayAugust 12 is World Elephant Day, honoring the largest land animal and the fight to protect elephants from ivory poaching.

World Lizard DayAugust 14 is World Lizard Day, a laid-back appreciation of the sun-loving reptiles patrolling gardens, walls, and woodlands.

National Black Cat Appreciation DayAugust 17 is Black Cat Appreciation Day — celebrate the sleek, superstition-defying cats that wait longest for adoption.

World Orangutan DayAugust 19 is World Orangutan Day, celebrating the red apes of Asia and the rainforests being cleared beneath them.

National Dog DayNational Dog Day is August 26 — a Colleen Paige-founded celebration of every dog, with a soft spot for the ones still waiting in shelters.

International Whale Shark DayAugust 30 is International Whale Shark Day, celebrating the world's largest fish — a gentle, spotted giant that eats mostly plankton.

National Wildlife DaySeptember 4 is National Wildlife Day: turn your yard into habitat, support conservation, and reconnect with the wild animals near home.

World Shorebirds DaySeptember 6 is World Shorebirds Day: celebrate the tiny travelers that fly thousands of miles and learn how to help them.

World Manatee DaySeptember 7 is World Manatee Day, celebrating the gentle sea cows that graze seagrass in warm coastal waters.

National Teddy Bear DaySeptember 9 is National Teddy Bear Day, celebrating the stuffed bear whose name is often traced to a 1902 trip by Theodore Roosevelt.

National Fox DaySeptember 17 is National Fox Day: a moment to appreciate one of nature's most adaptable, clever, and quietly beautiful wild neighbors.

National Pet Bird DaySeptember 17 is National Pet Bird Day: celebrate companion birds and give yours the space, nutrition, and enrichment they truly need.

International Red Panda DayInternational Red Panda Day lands on the third Saturday of September (September 19 in 2026), spotlighting a fire-colored forest dweller.

World Rhino DaySeptember 22 is World Rhino Day, uniting support for all five rhino species against the relentless threat of poaching.

World Gorilla DaySeptember 24 is World Gorilla Day, celebrating our great-ape cousins and the work to protect their mountain forests.

National Rabbit DayNational Rabbit Day lands on the fourth Saturday of September (September 26 in 2026), celebrating rabbits both in the wild and at home.

National Goose DayMarked September 29, National Goose Day revives the old Michaelmas custom of sharing a goose at harvest's end.

National Black Dog DayOctober 1 is National Black Dog Day — a light on black dogs, who are often overlooked and adopted last from shelters.

National Raccoon DayOctober 1 is National Raccoon Day — an appreciation of the clever, masked, resourceful bandits of the backyard night shift.

World Farm Animals DayHeld every October 2 on Gandhi's birthday, World Farm Animals Day highlights the welfare of animals raised for food.

World Octopus DayOctober 8 is World Octopus Day, honoring the eight-armed shape-shifters that may be the smartest invertebrates on Earth.

National Pug DayOctober 15 is National Pug Day: a day to celebrate the wrinkly, snuggly, endlessly expressive little companion dog.

Global Cat DayOctober 16 is Global Cat Day — Alley Cat Allies' worldwide push to protect community cats through humane, science-based care.

National Feral Cat DayOctober 16 is National Feral Cat Day — the original Alley Cat Allies observance behind Global Cat Day, honoring community cats.

International Sloth DayInternational Sloth Day falls on the third Saturday of October (October 17 in 2026), a slow tribute to the tree-dwellers of tropical American forests.

National Reptile Awareness DayOctober 21 is National Reptile Awareness Day: appreciate reptiles, get a pet's habitat dialed in, and learn the care they quietly demand.

Wombat DayOctober 22 is Wombat Day: celebrate Australia's sturdy burrowing marsupial and learn about the threats it quietly faces.

International Snow Leopard DayOctober 23 is International Snow Leopard Day: learn about and help protect the elusive 'ghost of the mountains' of High Asia.

World Kangaroo DayOctober 24 is World Kangaroo Day: a moment to admire Australia's iconic hopper and learn how to help protect it in the wild.

National Mule DayCelebrated October 26, National Mule Day honors the hardy, sure-footed hybrid that helped build American farms and roads.

National Black Cat DayOctober 27 is National Black Cat Day — the UK's Cats Protection celebration of black and black-and-white cats.

National Cat DayOctober 29 is National Cat Day — the US celebration (since 2005) of cats and the shelters still working to home them.

National Cook for Your Pets DayNovember 1 is National Cook for Your Pets Day — prepare a simple, vet-safe homemade treat or meal for your favorite animal.

World Jellyfish DayNovember 3 is World Jellyfish Day, celebrating the drifting, brainless survivors that have outlasted the dinosaurs many times over.

National Mutt DayDecember 2 is National Mutt Day — celebrating mixed-breed dogs and the one-of-a-kind pups waiting in shelters for homes.

International Cheetah DayDecember 4 is International Cheetah Day, spotlighting the world's fastest land animal and its race against extinction.

National Llama DayMarked December 9, National Llama Day celebrates the calm, curious pack animal prized for wool, guarding, and good company.

National Day of the HorseEvery December 13, National Day of the Horse — recognized by the US Senate in 2004 — honors the horse's role in American life.

Monkey DayDecember 14 is Monkey Day: a worldwide celebration of monkeys and primates that also spotlights their welfare and habitat conservation.

National Cat Herders DayDecember 15 is National Cat Herders Day — a wink to anyone who wrangles the impossible, from real cats to chaotic teams.