For the Animals
Calendar 2009

January

ADOPT-A-RESCUED-BIRD MONTH (Petfinder.com)
WALK-YOUR-PET MONTH (Pawsitively Pets)

• 5 --- National Bird Day (always)
• 12 --- Wolves reintroduced into Yellowstone Park
• 14 --- Albert Schweitzer born 1875
• 20 --- National Penguin Awareness Day (always)
• 3rd weekend --- Bald Eagle Appreciation Days
• 21 --- Squirrel Appreciation Day (always)
• 22 --- National Answer-Your-Cat's-Questions Day (always)
• 31 --- World Day for the Abolition of Meat (always)

February

PREVENT-A-LITTER MONTH
   (Humane Society of the United States - HSUS)
ADOPT-A-RESCUED-RABBIT MONTH (Petfinder.com)
PET DENTAL MONTH
   (American Veterinary Medical Association - AVMA and American
    Veterinary Dental Society - AVDS)
NATIONAL WILD BIRD-FEEDING MONTH
   (National Bird-Feeding Society)
RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERS MONTH

Weeks:

• 2nd week --- Have-a-Heart-for-Chained-Dogs Week (Dogs Deserve Better)
• 3rd week --- Random Acts of Kindness Week (help local shelters)

Days:

• 2 --- Groundhog Day (always)
• 2 --- Hedgehog Day (always)
• 2 --- World Wetlands Day (always) (Environmental Protection Agency)
• 14 --- Pet Theft Awareness Day (Last Chance for Animals)
• 13-16 --- 12th Annual Great Backyard Bird Count (National Audubon Society)
• 17 --- GM ends animal crash tests 1993
• 20 --- Love-Your-Pet Day (always)
• 23 --- International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day (always)
• 26 --- Grand Canyon National Park opened 1919
• 4th Tuesday --- Spay Day USA (HSUS)
• 27 --- National Polar Bear Day (always)

March

ADOPT-A-RESCUED-GUINEA-PIG MONTH (Petfinder.com)

Weeks:

• 1st full week --- National Professional Pet Sitters Week (Pet Sitters International)
• 3rd week --- National Poison Prevention Week (ASPCA)

Days:

• 1 --- National Pig Day (always)
• 1 --- Congress establishes Yellowstone 1872
• 3 --- What-If-Cats-and-Dogs-Had-Opposable-Thumbs Day (always)
• 14 --- Save-A-Spider Day (always) (ASPCA)
• 15 --- Buzzard Day (always)
• 19 --- Swallows Return to San Juan Capistrano Day (always)
• 20 --- Great American Meatout (always) (FARM)
• 20 --- International Earth Day (always) (Earthsite)
• 22 --- International Day of the Seal (always)
• 22 --- World Water Day (United Nations) (always)
• 24 --- Exxon Valdez Oil Spill 1989
• 30 --- Mule Day (always)

April

PREVENT LYME DISEASE IN DOGS MONTH
PREVENTION-OF-ANIMAL-CRUELTY MONTH (ASPCA)
WORLD HABITAT AWARENESS MONTH
NATIONAL PET FIRST AID MONTH
NATIONAL FROG MONTH

Weeks:

• 2nd week --- National Week of the Ocean (Nat'l Week of the Ocean)
• 3rd week --- Animal Cruelty/Human Violence Awareness Week (varies) (HSUS)
• 3rd week --- National Pet ID Week
• 3rd week --- World Week for Animals in Labs (varies) (IDA)
• 3rd week --- National Wildlife Week (National Wildlife Federation)
• Last week --- National Park Week (National Park Service)
• Last week --- National Scoop the Poop Week (Association of Professional Animal Waste Specialists)

Days:

• 1 --- Tag Day (always) (American Humane Association - AHA)
• 2 --- National Ferret Day
• 3 --- Jane Goodall born 1934
• 4 --- World Rat Day (always)
• 7 --- World Health Day (always)
• 7 --- National Pet Health Insurance Day (Veterinary Pet Insurance) (always)
• 10 --- ASPCA chartered 1866
• 13 --- "Silent Spring" published 1962
• 14 --- National Dolphin Day (always)
• 18 --- Pet Owner's Independence Day (always)
• 3rd Saturday --- World Veterinary Day
• 21 --- John Muir born 1835
• 22 --- Earth Day (always) (National Holiday)
• 25 --- World Penguin Day (always)
• 25 --- World Veterinary Day (World Veterinary Association - WVA)
• 26 --- John Audubon born 1785
• 26 --- Nationasl Pet Parents Day (Veterinary Pet Insurance)
• 27 --- Arbor Day (National Holiday)
• 27 --- National Hairball Awareness Day (Hills Pet Food Company)
• Last Sunday --- International Day of the Dog (International Day of the Dog)

May

BE-KIND-TO-ANIMALS MONTH
AMERICAN WETLANDS MONTH (American Wetlands Campaign)
ASTHMA AND ALLERGY AWARENESS MONTH
CHIP YOUR PET MONTH (HomeAgain, Shering-Plough)
CLEAN AIR MONTH
NATIONAL PET MONTH (mainly recognized in UK, but also seen in
   U.S.)
GO FETCH! FOOD DRIVE FOR HOMELESS ANIMALS MONTH

Weeks:

• 1st week --- Be Kind to Animals Week (AHA)
• 1st week --- National Pet Week (Pet Week)
• 3rd week --- National Dog Bite Prevention Week (HSUS)

Days:

• 1st Sunday --- Mayday for Mutts
• 1 --- Save-the-Rhino Day (always)
• Respect for Chickens Day
• 2nd Saturday --- Animal Disaster Preparedness Day
• 2nd Saturday --- International Migratory Bird Day (Bird Day)
• 2nd Sunday --- National Veal Ban Action Day (Farm Sanctuary)
• 13 --- Frog Jumping Day
• 15 --- Hug Your Cat Day (always)
• 3rd weekend --- Marine Mammal Freedom Weekend
• 22 --- International Day for Biological Diversity (always) (United Nations - UN)
• 23 --- World Turtle Day (always)
• 28 --- Sierra Club founded 1892
• 29 --- National Environmental Protection Act 1969

June

ADOPT-A-SHELTER-CAT MONTH (ASPCA)
ADOPT-A-CAT MONTH (AHA)
NATIONAL MICROCHIPPING MONTH (AKC)

Weeks:

• 1st week --- National Oceans Week
• 1st week --- Pet Appreciation Week
• 3rd week --- Carpenter Ants Awareness Week
• 3rd week --- Animal Rights Awareness Week
• 3rd week --- Take-Your-Pet-to-Work-Week

Days:

• 2 --- Avon first company to stop animal testing 1989
• 5 --- World Environment Day (always) (UN)
• 2nd Sunday --- World Pet Memorial Day
• 19 --- Garfield the Cat Day (always)
• 20 --- American Bald Eagle Day (always) (American Eagle Foundation)
• 3rd Friday --- Take-Your-Dog-to-Work Day (Pet Sitters International)

July

DOG HOUSE REPAIRS MONTH
ADOPT-A-SHELTER-RABBIT MONTH (ASPCA)

Weeks:

• 2nd week --- National Farriers Week
• 3rd week --- Cow Appreciation Week

Days:

• 5 --- World Environment Day (always)
• 11 --- World Population Day (always) (UN)
• 15 --- Cow Appreciation Day
• 12 --- USDA bans face branding of cattle 1994

August

• 2nd Thursday --- National Assistance Dog Day (Working Like Dogs)
• 3rd Saturday --- National Homeless Animals Day (Int'l Society for Animal Rights)
• 20 --- Humane Slaughter Act 1958
• 26 --- National Dog Day (Colleen Paige of National Dog Day Foundation)
• 29 --- Henry Bergh's birthday 1813 (ASPCA founder)
• 30 --- National Holistic Pet Day (always)

September

NATIONAL SAVE-THE-TIGER MONTH
NATIONAL CHICKEN MONTH
PET SMILE MONTH
SENIOR CARE HEALTH MONTH (Iams, Pfizer Animal Health)
WORLD ANIMAL REMEMBRANCE MONTH

Weeks:

• 3rd week --- National Farm Animals Awareness Week(HSUS)
• 3rd week --- New Mexico's Week for the Animals
• 4th week --- National Dog Week (National Dog Week)
• 4th week --- National Deaf Dog Awareness Week (Deaf Dog Education Action Fund)

Days:

• 1st Saturday --- National Hummingbird Day
• 2nd Saturday --- National Iguana Awareness Day (NIAD)
• 2nd Sunday --- National Pet Memorial Day (Int'l Association of Pet Cemeteries)
• 3rd Saturday --- International Coastal Cleanup Day (The Ocean Conservancy)
• 3rd Saturday --- Responsible Dog Ownership Day (American Kennel Club)
• 15 --- PETroglyphs Day in New Mexico (Proclaimed by Governor Richardson in honor of PETroglyphs being the only independent, award-winning, state-wide newspaper dedicated solely to animal issues.)
• 19 --- Puppy Mill Awareness Day
• 21 --- International Day of Peace (always) (UN)
• 4th Saturday --- National Wildlife Ecology Day (Committee to Abolish Sport Hunting)
• 22 --- National Elephant Appreciation Day (always)
• 23 --- Dogs and Politics Day (always)
• 26 --- International Rabbit Day (4th Saturday)
• 28 --- World Rabies Day (Alliance for Rabies Control - UK initiated it; US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is a founding partner)
• 29 --- National Goose Day (always)

October

ADOPT-A-SHELTER-DOG MONTH (ASPCA)
ADOPT-A-DOG MONTH (AHA)
NATIONAL CUT-OUT-DISSECTION MONTH (People for the Ethical
   Treatment of Animals - PETA)
NATIONAL ANIMAL SAFETY AND PROTECTION MONTH (Emergency
   Animal Rescue Service - United Animal Nations)
VEGETARIAN AWARENESS MONTH (EarthSave)
NATIONAL PET WELLNESS MONTH (AVMA, Fort Dodge Animal
   Health)
NATIONAL SQUIRREL AWARENESS MONTH (The Squirrel Lover's
   Club)

Weeks:

• 1st week --- Animal Welfare Week (AVMA)
• 2nd week --- Squirrel Awareness Week
• 2nd week --- National Veterinary Technician Week (NAVTA)
• 2nd week --- National Wildlife Refuge Week (US Fish and Wildlife Service)
• 3rd week --- National Veterinary Technician Week (National Ass'n of Veterinary Technicians)
• 3rd week --- Wolf Awareness Week (Defenders of Wildlife)
• 3rd week --- National Primate Liberation Week 2007 (SAEN)
• 3rd week --- World Rainforest Week (Rainforest Action Network)
• 4th week --- Give Wildlife a Brake Week (HSUS)

Days:

• 1 --- World Vegetarian Day (always) (Earthsave)
• 1st Monday --- World Habitat Day (UN)
• 2 --- Gandhi's Birthday 1869
• 2 --- World Farm Animals Day (always) (FARM)
• 4 --- St. Francis of Assisi's Feast Day/World Pets' Day/World Animal Day (always) (Great Resource Site for World Animal Day)
• 16 --- National Feral Cat Day (always) (Alley Cat Allies)
• 18 --- Water Pollution Control Act 1972
• 21 --- Marine Mammal Protection Act 1972
• 21 --- Reptile Awareness Day (always)
• 23 --- National Mole Day (always)
• 26 --- National Mule Day (always)
• 27 --- Dolphin Protection Consumer Information Act, 1980: "dolphin-safe tuna" labeling

November

ADOPT-A-TURKEY MONTH (Farm Sanctuary)
VEGAN MONTH
WISHBONES FOR PETS MONTH (Wishbones for Pets)
ADOPT-A-SENIOR-PET MONTH (Petfinder.com)
PET CANCER AWARENESS MONTH (PetCancerAwareness.org)
PET DIABETES MONTH (Intervet)

Weeks:

• 1st week --- National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week (Animal Sheltering)
• 2nd week --- National Farm Week
• 2nd week --- European Veterinary Week (European Commission, Federation of Veterinarians of Europe and the French Presidency)

Days:

• 1 --- World Vegan Day (always) (The Vegan Society)
• 13 --- World Kindness Day
• 16 --- National Park Service established, 1916
• 17 --- Benetton stops animal tests 1988
• 17 --- National Black Cat Day (Celebrated in Italy. Italian Association in Defense of Animals and the Environment - AIDAA)
• 4th Thursday --- Turkey-free Thanksgiving Day
• 23 --- Fur Free Friday (Fur Free Friday)
• 27 --- Turtle Adoption Day
• 30 --- Pet Ownership in Assisted Rental Housing for the Elderly/Handicapped Act 1983

December

SAFE TOYS AND GIFTS MONTH

• 2 --- International Whaling Commission 1946
• 3 --- World Conservation Day
• 9 --- Horse Protection Act 1978
• 10 --- Festival for the Souls of Dead Whales
• 13 --- National Day of the Horse (designated by Congress in 2004)
• 15 --- Free Roaming Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act 1971
• 15 --- Cat Herders Day (always)
• 21 --- World Peace Day/Winter Solstice (always)
• 28 --- Endangered Species Act 1973

View the 2008 Calendar