2023 Pet Holidays to Celebrate with Your Pets

By | January 17, 2023

There’s no reason we can’t celebrate with our pets all year round, even if we all like to include them in significant holidays like Christmas and Halloween. This comprehensive collection of pet-related holidays spans the entire calendar year and includes both humorous occasions like National Meow Like a Pirate Day and Doggy Date Night as well as educational holidays like Pet Dental Month and Wildlife Conservation Day. And while you most certainly don’t need an excuse to treat your pet, these yearly niche pet holidays give us all a valid excuse for doing so in 2023.

Don’t be concerned if you see someone writing about one of these festivals on a day other than what is stated below; keep in mind that there are periodic “disputes” over which day a specific celebration is commemorated.

2023 Pet Holiday List

January 2023 ­– Monthly Observations:

January Pet Holidays

Daily/Week-Long Pet Holidays

January 1st: New Year’s Day

January 2nd: National Pet Travel Safety Day; Happy Mew Year for Cats Day

January 5th: National Bird Day

January 14th: National Dress Up Your Pet Day

January 21st: Squirrel Appreciation Day; National Hug Day

January 22nd: National Answer Your Cat’s Questions Day

January 24th: Change a Pet’s Life Day; National Peanut Butter Day

January 29th: Seeing Eye Guide Dog Anniversary

January 31st: National Plan for Vacation Day

February 2023 ­– Monthly Observations:

February Pet Holidays
  • Dog Training Education Month
  • Adopt a Rescued Rabbit Month 
  • National Cat Health Month
  • Pet Dental Health Month
  • Responsible Pet Owners Month
  • Spay/Neuter Awareness Month
  • International Hoof Care Month

Daily/Week-Long Pet Holidays

February 2: National Hedgehog Day; Groundhog Day 

February 3: National Golden Retriever Day

February 14: Pet Theft Awareness Day; Valentine’s Day 

February 19-25: National Justice for Animals Week 

February 20: Love Your Pet Day 

February 22: Walking the Dog Day 

February 23: National Dog Biscuit Day 

February 28: World Spay Day 

March 2023 – Monthly Observations:

March Pet Holidays
  • Adopt a Rescued Guinea Pig Month
  • Poison Prevention Awareness Month

Daily/Week-Long Pet Holidays

March 1st: National Pig Day; National Horse Protection Day

March 3rd: If Pets Had Thumbs Day

March 5th-11th: Professional Pet Sitters Week

March 12th: K9 Veterans Day

March 19th-25th: National Poison Prevention Week

March 23rd: National Puppy Day; Cuddly Kitten Day

March 28th: Respect Your Cat Day

April 2023 – Monthly Observations:

April Pet Holidays
  • Pet First Aid Awareness Month
  • Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month
  • Prevention of Lyme Disease in Dogs Month
  • National Heartworm Awareness Month
  • National Frog Month
  • Canine Fitness Month

Daily/Week-Long Pet Holidays

April 1st-7th: International Pooper Scooper Week

April 2nd: National Ferret Day

April 4th: World Rat Day

April 9th-15th: National Dog Bite Prevention Week

April 10th:  National Hug Your Dog Day

April 11th: National Pet Day

April 23rd: National Lost Dog Awareness Day

April 26th: National Kids and Pets Day

April 29th: World Veterinary Day

April 28th: Hairball Awareness Day

April 30th: National Pet Parents Day; National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day; National Therapy Animal Day

May 2023 – Monthly Observations:

May Pet Holidays
  • Pet Sitter Safety Month
  • National Pet Month
  • Chip Your Pet Month
  • Responsible Animal Guardian Month

Daily/Week-Long Pet Holidays

May 3rd: National Specially-Abled Pets Day

May 7th: Mayday for Mutts

May 7th-13th: National Pet Week

May 8th: National Animal Disaster Preparedness Day

May 13th: National Dog Mom’s Day

May 14th: International Chihuahua Appreciation Day

May 20th: National Rescue Dog Day

May 23rd: World Turtle Day

June 2023 – Monthly Observations:

June Pet Holidays
  • National Pet Preparedness Month
  • American Humane’s Adopt-A-Cat Month
  • Adopt a Shelter Cat Month
  • National Foster a Pet Month
  • National Microchipping Month

Daily/Week-Long Pet Holidays

June 4th: Hug Your Cat Day

June 4th-10th: Pet Appreciation Week

June 13th:  World Pet Memorial Day

June 21st: Dog Party Day

June 22nd-28th:  Take Your Pet To Work Week

June 24:  Cat World Domination Day

July 2023 – Month Observations:

July Pet holidays

Lost Pet Prevention Month

National Pet Hydration Awareness Month

Daily/Week-Long Pet Holidays

July 1st:  ID Your Pet Day

July 10th: National Kitten Day

July 11th: All-American Pet Photo Day

July 15th:  National Pet Fire Safety Day

July 16th: World Snake Day

July 21st: National Craft for Your Local Shelters Day

July 30th: International Day of Friendship

July 31st: National Mutt Day

August 2023 – Monthly Observations:

August pet holidays
  • National Immunization Awareness Month

Daily/Week-Long Pet Holidays

August 1st: DOGust Universal Birthday for Shelter Dogs

August 2nd–8th: International Assistance Dog Week

August 5th: Work Like a Dog Day

August 8th: International Cat Day

August 10th: Spoil Your Dog Day

August 14th: World Lizard Day

August 15th: Check the Chip Day

August 17th: National Black Cat Appreciation Day

August 19th: International Homeless Animals’ Day

August 22nd: National Take Your Cat to the Vet Day

August 23rd: International Blind Dog Day

August 26th: National Dog Day

September 2023 – Monthly Observations:

september pet holidays

Daily/Week-Long Pet Holidays

September 1st: Ginger Cat Appreciation Day

September 8th: National Iguana Awareness Day

September 10th: National Pet Memorial Day; National Hug Your Hound Day

September 13th: Pet Birth Defect Awareness Day

September 16th: Puppy Mill Awareness Day

September 17th: National Pet Bird Day

September 18th-24th:  Adopt-A-Less-Adoptable-Pet Week

September 20th-27th: National Dog Week

September 23rd: International Rabbit Day

September 24th-30th: Deaf Dog Awareness Week

October 2023 – Monthly Observations:

Pet Holidays October 2023
  • Adopt a Shelter Dog Month
  • American Humane’s Adopt-a-Dog Month
  • National Pet Wellness Month
  • National Animal Safety and Protection Month
  • National Pit Bull Awareness Month

Daily/Week-Long Pet Holidays

October 1st-7th: National Walk Your Dog Week

October 1st: National Black Dog Day

October 4th:  World Animal Day

October 11th: National Pet Obesity Awareness Day

October 16th: Global Cat Day

October 15th-21st: National Veterinary Technician Week

October 21st: Reptile Awareness Day; National Pets for Veterans Day

October 27th: National Black Cat Day (UK)

October 28th: National Pit Bull Awareness Day

October 29th: National Cat Day

November 2023 – Monthly Observations:

  • Adopt a Senior Pet Month
  • National Pet Awareness Month
  • National Senior Pet Month
  • National Pet Cancer Awareness Month
  • Pet Diabetes Month

Daily/Week-Long Pet Holidays

November 1st: National Cook for Your Pets Day

November 2nd-6th: National Animal Shelter and Rescue Appreciation Week

November 7th: National Canine Lymphoma Awareness Day

November 12th: Fancy Rat and Mouse Day

November 17: National Black Cat Day (US)

December 2023 – Monthly Observations:

December Pet Holidays
  • National Cat Lover’s Month

Daily/Week-Long Pet Holidays

December 2nd: National Mutt Day

December 9th: International Day of Veterinary Medicine

December 13th: National Day of the Horse

December 15th: Cat Herders Day

December 26th: Boxing Day

December 31st: New Year’s Eve

Bottom line:

The 2023 List of Pet Holidays was fun, we hope you enjoyed it! On various yearly calendars, there may be some variations of pet holidays noted. However, you are free to observe these holidays on whatever day you choose. After all, every day you spend with your pet is a special day!