Today, Oct. 4, is a special day for all fur parents and animal advocates as the world celebrates World Animal Day, commonly known as "Animal Lovers Day." This year's theme is "Shared Planet," which emphasizes that the earth is the shared home of all living things, not just human beings.
This day recognizes not just domesticated animals but also wild fauna, endangered species, and those species that are on the brink of extinction due to a lack of protection. It is the responsibility of each one of us, regardless of whether or not we share our homes with a furry friend, to do what we can to make the world a better place for animals.
History of Animal Day
The international day of action we are celebrating today is the feast day of Saint Francis of Assisi, also known as the patron saint of animals. In 1925, writer and animal activist Heinrich Zimmermann was responsible for organizing the first celebration, which took place in Berlin, Germany, and was attended by more than 5,000 individuals who came to show their support. He began the initiative to increase awareness and work toward bettering the welfare of animals.
Then, in 1931, World Animal Day became global during a world protection group summit in Florence, Italy. The Finnish Association of Animal Protection Associations celebrated in 2002 and even invited students from local schools to participate in the activities.
After a successful summit, Naturewatch Foundation, a UK-based animal welfare nonprofit, developed the first World Animal Day website in 2003. The website powers small but impactful methods of spreading awareness and a general understanding of dos and don'ts against nature.
This year, the website lists all the events and conferences being held to commemorate the occasion.
Significance of this international event
Due to its global reach, many individuals around the world commemorate World Animal Day in various ways.
Businesses and individuals can offer a voice to animals in a variety of ways, such as fundraising events for organizations supporting animal protection initiatives, a goods donation drive, or educational workshops.
In the Philippines, numerous animal welfare organizations, community groups, businesses, and individuals hold events to demonstrate their love for animals. The Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) sponsored a pet blessing at the SM Mall of Asia on Oct. 2, as an advanced celebration of World Animal Day. This marked the organization's return to hosting face-to-face events after two years of virtual pet blessing events.
Eastwood City also continued its annual Pet Blessing tradition with a host of new and returning free events and activities throughout the day for both pets and their owners, including the return of the city's acclaimed drive-thru pet blessing, donation drive concert, anti-rabies vaccinations, and pet weddings.
As it is a worldwide event, World Animal Day is commemorated in a variety of unique ways all across the world. It makes no difference where you live or if you are an individual or a business when it comes to this.
So, what are you waiting for? Let’s celebrate the lives of animals today on whatever platform is most accessible to us, and give them a voice. After all, they're a part of our society and deserve to be treated with love, compassion, and respect.
