Mission Of World Animal Day 

To raise the status of animals in order to improve welfare standards around the globe. Building the celebration of World Animal Day unites the animal welfare movement, mobilising it into a global force to make the world a better place for all animals. Through increased awareness and education, we can create a world where animals are always recognised as sentient beings and full regard is always paid to their welfare.

To achieve this, World Animal Day encourage animal welfare organisations, community groups, youth and children’s clubs, businesses and individuals to organise events in celebration of World Animal Day. Involvement is growing at an astonishing rate and it's now widely accepted and celebrated in a variety of different ways in many countries, with no regard to nationality, religion, faith or political ideology.  

Events are organised under the World Animal Day Umbrella and are publicised on their website and advertised using the World Animal Day brand and logo. Global branding effectively ties all events together and, over the years they have found this approach to be particularly helpful to grass roots groups who struggle to attract media attention in order to raise awareness of their work and fundraising efforts.

This can then draw attention to animal issues and helps make them front page news – a vital catalyst for change. Each year the logo becomes more widely recognised as a global brand for animals; a brand that unites the animal welfare movement - firmly establishing itself as a platform for raising the status of animals.

Participation in World Animal Day will continue to grow until it reaches and connects animal advocates in all corners of the world. It's something that everyone can join in with, whether they are part of an organisation, group, or an individual. World Animal Day regularly receive wonderfully inspiring messages from animal advocates around the world.  

Having a central platform for promoting animal welfare issues facilitates and greatly improves progress being made.  

 Building the celebration of World Animal Day mobilises people for action now, for a better future for animals

Throughout history, social movements like the organisations participating in World Animal Day, have always been a major vehicle for ordinary people’s participation in politics, and key in fighting for social justice and reform. The lives of animals are profoundly affected by the actions of individuals, businesses, and nations.  It’s therefore essential that, as sentient beings, their rightful status as recipients of social justice is established and translated into effective animal protection.  

Participation in celebrating World Animal Day grows each year, with a huge variety of inspiring events being held in an increasing number of countries. In 2003, it was recorded that 44 events were held in 13 countries and this has now grown to an estimated 1000 events in around 100 countries.  You too can help enhance the visibility of World Animal Day.

Types Of Events Held:

• awareness & educational events
• shelter open days & pet adoption events
• increased awareness, combined with better education for both adults and children, is slowly swaying the attitudes of people towards treating animals in a humane and compassionate way
• conferences & workshops
• animal blessing services
• fundraising events such as concerts and sponsored walks through to gala balls
• school events to educate the younger generation such as animal-related competitions, concerts & film shows
• workshops to educate the owners of working animals
• neutering marathons and veterinary treatment camps
• rabies prevention awareness and vaccination
• radio & TV interviews to raise awareness of animal issues & World Animal Day and its mission
• peaceful protest marches to either raise awareness of a specific animal welfare issue or to encourage governments to introduce animal protection legislation

Origins Of World Animals Day

The idea of World Animal Day was originated by Heinrich Zimmermann, the German writer and publisher of the magazine Mensch und Hund (Man and Dog). He organised the first World Animal Day on 24 March 1925 in Berlin and moved it to 4 October for the first time in 1929.