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Dogs have been our best friends and steadfast helpers for longer than human civilization has been around, and our two species have only grown closer in companionship as the centuries roll by. I don’t know what a world without dogs would look like, but I guarantee it’d be a much worse place!
An animal that special deserves to be celebrated, so whether you’re a pup parent yourself or you just love dogs, don’t forget to mark your calendars for August 26. Next Monday marks the 20th annual National Dog Day – the perfect day to recognize and revere our fabulous four-legged friends!
What Is National Dog Day?
According to the official National Dog Day website, this special “howl-iday” was founded in 2004 by animal welfare expert Colleen Paige. National Dog Day is celebrated every year on August 26, the same date that Colleen Paige’s family adopted her first dog, “Sheltie,” when Colleen was ten years old!
National Dog Day honors dogs of all breeds and walks of life and aims to educate people about the millions of dogs currently living in animal shelters across the country and the ever-present need for pet adoption. This holiday also acknowledges the important roles our canines play in our lives, especially family dogs and dogs who work life-saving jobs as therapy dogs, law enforcement and military dogs, bomb sniffers, cancer detectors, rescue helpers, and more!
Related: New Survey Reveals the States With the Most Spoiled Dogs for ‘National Love Your Pet Day’
How You Can Celebrate
Excited to celebrate National Dog Day with your fur babies next week? I know, I know – who wouldn’t be, right? Here are a few suggestions for how you can celebrate National Dog Day to help you get in the spirit of the season:
Adopt or Foster a Dog
One of this holiday’s primary goals is motivating people to adopt rescue dogs, and the best way you can support that mission is by doing it yourself! Rather than buying from a dog breeder or pet store, support your local shelters by adopting a rescue dog instead. Many shelters hold special adoption events for National Dog Day, and you might even find some local shelters also participating in the “Clear the Shelters 2024” mass adoption campaign that’s running concurrently!
If you like the idea of helping a shelter dog, but aren’t ready to commit to adopting one, consider fostering instead. By fostering, you can free up shelter space and potentially even save dogs from euthanasia while they wait to find their “forever families.” And who knows? With the right dog, you might just end up making that upgrade from “foster family” to “forever family!”
Support Your Local Shelters
Even if you can’t foster or adopt, there are tons of other ways you can support your local shelters:
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Volunteer at your local animal shelter or rescue
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Donate money, toys, food, bedding, or other pet supplies
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Donate to low-income spay/neuter programs in your area
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Support your local shelters on social media
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Use your social media to share news about adoption events or other shelter stories to boost their engagement
Donate to Other Animal Organizations
Beyond rescue shelters, let’s not forget about other incredible organizations that help dogs, too! If you’re able and willing, consider making a donation to important national organizations like the ASPCA and the Humane Society, which work tirelessly to facilitate pet rescues and adoptions nationwide and fight to end animal cruelty in all its forms. Since National Dog Day also recognizes important canine jobs, you might also consider supporting groups like Assistance Dogs International, Canine Companions, and the Guide Dog Foundation, which work to help train service dogs and connect them with people that need them!
Spoil Your Dog
Don’t forget to show your furry friends at home lots of love! There’s never a bad excuse to love on your fur babies, but National Dog Day is the perfect opportunity to really spoil them. Pick up their favorite treats, surprise them with a brand new doggy toy haul, take them down to their favorite beach or dog park for an extra-long play date, and just do whatever you can to show your pups how loved and appreciated they are!
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Make the Most of National Dog Day
National Dog Day is about recognizing the positive impact dogs make in our lives and returning the favor by supporting those dogs who are most in need of our help. But while August 26 is a very special date, National Dog Day is less about doing good for dogs one day out of the year and more about motivating us to care for canines all year round. Let’s use this holiday not just as a special opportunity to celebrate our pets, but also to reflect on how we can be there for all dogs every day of our lives!
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