NOTES FOR EDITORS

• World Animal Day was first launched in 1931 at a convention of ecologists to draw attention to the plight of endangered species. Its scope has since developed to encompass the animal kingdom in general.
• 4 October was chosen for the day because it is the Feast Day of St Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals.
• World Animal Day is intended as a day of celebration for anyone in the world who cares about animals. It is not restricted to any one nationality, creed, religion, political belief or ideology.
• World Animal Day is celebrated annually in many countries throughout the world. Co-ordinating bodies for these events are highly respected organisations - respectively the Animals Asia Foundation; National Council of SPCA's in South Africa; Singapore Society for the Protection of Animals; Education Division of the Maltese Government; Parlement des Philosophes at the Universite Marc Bloch - Strasbourg II; Foundation for Animal Welfare Cameroon; KSPCA Mombasa; American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals; Ross County Humane Society USA; Oregon Zoo; Animal Welfare League of South Australia; RSPCA Victoria Australia; Wildlife Alliance & Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Centre in Cambodia; Lithuanian Society for the Protection of Animals; Anglican Society for the Welfare of Animals; National Zoonoses and Food Hygiene Research Centre in Nepal; SPANA Jordan; Mayhew Animal Home & Humane Education Centre; Horses and Ponies Protection Association; and the Australian Veterinary Association.
• The World Animal Day website was first launched in 2003 by UK-based animal welfare group Naturewatch. The aim of the website was to provide a free resource about World Animal Day, available to anyone in the world interested in promoting animal welfare. All organisations that use the website to list events are accorded equal status, irrespective of country of origin or size of group.
• For further information, contact Caroline Barker on +44 (0)1242 252871 or email info@worldanimalday.org.uk