May 2026 Pet Holidays

May’s National Pet Month celebrates our pets all month long–and National Animal Disaster Preparedness Day helps remind us the create an emergency plan for ALL the members of our household in the case of a disaster.

May Pet Holidays for dogs and cats

Month-Long Observances

  • Chip Your Pet Month.
  • National Pet Month. (US)
  • National Service Animal Eye Exam. The American College of Veterinary Optholmologists hosts this annual event when over 300 veterinary ophthalmologists donate their services to provide eye exams to service dogs in the US and Canada during the month of May.
  • Pet Cancer Awareness Month. Sponsored by Pet Cancer Awareness and the Blue Buffalo Foundation for Cancer Research. (Also see November events.)
  • Pet Sitter Safety Month.
  • Responsible Animal Guardian Month.

Week-Long Observances

  • May 3-9: American Humane’s Be Kind to Animals Week. This week-long event has been celebrated since 1915. Always the first full week of May.
  • May 3-9: National Pet Week. Always held the first full week of May by the American Veterinary Medical Association.
  • May 4-9: Puppy Mill Action Week. An initiative of the HSUS, this week is always scheduled to begin the Monday before Mother’s Day.
  • May 4-10: Dog Anxiety Awareness Week. Founded by Assisi Animal Health.

One-Day Holidays

  • May 1: National Purebred Dog Day.
  • May 1: International Day of the Podenco. Like February’s World Galgo Day, this awareness day draws attention to the cruel fate that thousands of Podenco face in Spain after hunting season.
  • May 1: International Samoyed Day. Celebrate this smiling dog named for the Samoyedic people of Siberia, where the breed originated.
  • May 1: International Doodle Dog Day.
  • May 3: National Specially-Abled Pets Day.
  • May 3: Mayday for Mutts. First Sunday in May.
  • May 9: National Dog Mom’s Day. Second Saturday in May.
  • May 10: National Animal Disaster Preparedness Day. This FEMA-founded awareness day reminds pet lovers to prepare and pack pet essentials for evacuation emergencies.
  • May 10: German Shepherd Day.
  • May 14: International Chihuahua Appreciation Day.
  • May 14: Pick Up the Poo Day. (UK)
  • May 14: Bond With Your Dog Day
  • May 15: Do Lunch With Your Dog Day.
  • May 20: National Rescue Dog Day.
  • May 28: Feast Day of St. Bernard of Montjoux. The patron of hospices at two Alpine passes, later to be named Great and Little St. Bernard passes. The hospices were home to–you guessed it–St. Bernard dogs who were trained to find lost travelers.
  • May 29: National Dog Friendly Day. (UK)
  • May 30: International Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Day.

More Pet Holidays

We’ve got pet holidays for the entire year!