What is World Animal Day?
Today, 97 Ambassadors help to raise awareness of World Animal Day in 74 countries around the globe.
The goal of “raising the status of animals” is written into the mission statement of World Animal Day.
It’s a chance for like-minded people and organisations across the world to:
- Come together with a joint mission
- Celebrate achievements within animal welfare
- Consider the challenges we face together
World Animal Day unites the global animal welfare movement, turning it into a powerful force for change. It embraces all animals and their welfare needs worldwide. With your support, we’ll continue to educate individuals, foster compassion and drive real change.
A wide variety of events are held each year in a growing number of countries. They’re organised under the World Animal Day umbrella and promoted on the World Animal Day website.
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What is World Animal Day?
Naturewatch Foundation CEO Sarah Carr explains what World Animal Day is and ways you can take part!
Raising the status of animals
The roots of World Animal Day go back to 1925, but the date we’re familiar with nowadays wasn’t set in stone until 1931.
Why October 4? As well as being the feast day of St Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals, it was chosen by Heinrich Zimmermann in 1931 as being the day where people around the globe come together to raise the status of animals worldwide.
To find out more about the origin of World Animal Day, you can read our dedicated blog here.
In 2003 we launched the World Animal Day website, helping the event to reach many more people and in 2007, we launched the Ambassador programme to carry the message far and wide.
Today, over 90 Ambassadors help to raise awareness of World Animal Day in 74 countries around the globe.
