On October 4 Something Amazing Happened 4 Animals
Like casting a pebble into a pond, every single World Animal Day event causes a ripple effect leading to many more events being held the following year.
News of World Animal Day and its mission to raise the status of animals continues to spread around the globe. Trending on social media in 25 countries and media articles highlighting this special day, all helped raise awareness of animal welfare issues… A vital catalyst for change.
Celebrities such as Rohit Sharma, Ricky Gervais, Dia Mirza, Eesha Rebba, Carolina Marin, Diana Penty, Kristin Davis, Cesar Milan, Jane Goodall, Simon Cowell, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Evanna Lynch, Michael Monroe, and Bill Bailey, to name but a few, came out in force to speak up for animals. Countless animal-related organisations and publications also helped tremendously to direct traffic to the World Animal Day website.
We are extremely proud to to showcase some of the hundreds of inspiring events that took place to celebrate World Animal Day this year.
Every year many events are held to plant seeds of compassion in the hearts of the younger generation as they are our main hope for a brighter future for animals. For example, fun-filled educational events such as animal-related competitions, concerts and film shows and, in Turkey, one school had great fun making houses for stray cats in their neighbourhood.
Workshops and veterinary treatment camps to educate the owners of working animals are also very popular, particularly in developing countries where alleviating the suffering of working animals improves the livelihoods of the people who depend on them. SPANA Syria, regularly uses World Animal Day to educate rural farmers who are beginning to see that it’s better for them and their families if their animals are cared for properly.
Promoting responsible pet ownership is also the key focus for many events. For example, in India the JBF Society held two free anti-rabies vaccination and pet health check clinics.
Spay and Neuter marathons – Spay Panama celebrates by organising an annual mega spay event setting themselves a goal to sterilize in the region of 1,000 dogs and cats.
Countless animal blessing services take place. Every year our Bolivian Ambassador organises a mass for animals at Cochabamba Cathedral to remind people of their obligation to care for the country’s animals. Pets are welcome!
Events that focus upon the use of animals in entertainment and tourism are also very popular. This year in Sri Lanka, the Otara Foundation drew attention to animals that are robbed from their natural habitat and deprived of freedom for man’s commercial benefit. In the USA, ‘Roar for Tony the Tiger’ has become an annual event. Tony has lived all of his 17 years as a roadside attraction in Louisiana.
Many conferences and seminars are organised around the world to draw the attention of decision-makers and media to the plight of animals. One such seminar took place this year in Cairo, Egypt, with well-respected guests speaking up for the country’s animals.
Many cities organise peaceful protest marches to either raise awareness of a specific animal welfare issue or to encourage governments to introduce animal protection legislation. This year in Medellín, Colombia, a march called for the government to ban bullfighting.
In Kurdistan, Iraq, KOARP, winners of the 2016 World Animal Day Grant, followed up training carried out earlier this year to improve the skills of people who work with animals.
Every year, countless radio and TV interviews are conducted on and around World Animal Day which help to raise awareness on a massive scale. In Malawi, our Ambassador appeared on national TV to discuss animal health issues and highlight the objectives of World Animal Day. In the US, World Animal Day featured in a 20-minute slot on a TV talk show.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, activists launched an appeal to government imploring them to honour the fur farming ban that is due to come into force in January 2018. So far, 46 World Animal Day Ambassadors have expressed their support for this action. The country’s children also made their voices heard by holding a World Animal Day event to say NO to fur farming.
In the UK a whole host of events took place in celebration of World Animal Day including, events in schools, a family fun day for residents of Southampton, and a vigil was held at Huntingdon Life Sciences to remember the animals that have suffered behind the closed doors of this testing laboratory.
This powerful movement, that grows each year, is helping to make the world a better place for animals – a world where they are always recognised as sentient beings and full regard is always paid to their welfare.
If you know of a World Animal Day event that’s not on the website, please contact the organiser. We have a simple guide to illustrate how to add an event to the website
We encourage everyone who reads this to Get Involved next year and help raise the status of animals.
Click links for Event Ideas and to Find out More
Sign Up and then Add your Event – it’s FREE!
Each one of us can make a difference – together we make change happen!
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