Last week (May 5-11) was both
National Pet Week and
Be Kind to Animals Week.
But there seems to be some confusion as to when people want to honor / celebrate hugging your cat…
Some sources say Hug Your Cat Day is May 3rd, some say May 15th and still others insist it’s May 30th.
Hmmm… how about declaring your personal favorite day in May as Hug Your Cat Day?
National Pet Week (1st week in May)
We strongly believe in the top two goals of National Pet Week and strive to meet those goals every day. So to us, every week is National Pet Week.
The goals of National Pet Week are to:
1) Promote responsible pet ownership
2) Celebrate the human-animal bond
3) Promote public awareness of veterinary medicine
Be Kind to Animals Week (1st week in May)
American Humane Association’s Be Kind to Animals Week® has been celebrated every year since 1915. In this annual tradition, we:
1) Commemorate the role animals play in our lives
2) Promote ways to continue to treat animals humanely
3) Encourage others, especially children, to do the same
We may be a week or so after the official week, but we feel that it’s important for us to do our part to spread the word with both these messages, regardless of the date.
Here are a few ways to belatedly celebrate Be Kind to Animals Week and National Pet Week (from the American Humane Association’s website).
Take care of your pet
Pets are like children who never grow up. They need you to help keep them healthy and safe throughout their lives. Make sure he or she is wearing proper identification. Take your pet to the veterinarian regularly. Know what it takes to be a responsible pet owner.
Adopt a pet from a shelter or rescue
Every year, an estimated 3.7 million animals must be euthanized at our nation’s shelters because they could not be adopted into loving homes. Help animals find a second chance at happiness by considering adopting your next pet from your local shelter or rescue group.
Appreciate wildlife
All animals deserve to be treated humanely — family pets and animals in the wild. Create an inviting space in your yard and garden for butterflies, hummingbirds and other creatures. If wildlife comes too close to home, look for ways to coexist with animals or to protect your property humanely.
Report animal abuse
Animal cruelty and abuse is not only tragic for animals, but also an indicator that other forms of abuse such as domestic violence could be happening. If you see something that looks suspicious — a dog chained in your neighbor’s yard that looks underfed, a child putting a cat in a box and kicking it around the yard — don’t hesitate. Let someone know.
Cats and Hugs (May 3rd? …May 15th?
…or is it May 30th?)
We at Harmony say, no worries… Who cares if it’s May 3rd, 15th or 30th?
Most of us now know it’s a proven fact that hugs from animals and giving hugs to animals will lower a person’s blood pressure and can decrease stress in their caregivers.
So we say, “Let’s make every day from now until the end of May Hug Your Cat Day.” An easy way to form a habit both you and your cat can enjoy for the rest of this month, this year and next year and…
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