September 2026 Pet Holidays

September turns attention to many serious topics in the dog world with holidays ranging from Puppy Mill Awareness Day to Remember Me Thursday®.

Month-Long Observances

• Animal Pain Awareness Month.
• Happy Cat Month. Established by the CATalyst Council.
• National Disaster Preparedness Month. Led by FEMA’s Ready Campaign, Citizen Corps and The Advertising Council, this effort encourages individuals, families, businesses and communities to work together and take action to prepare for emergencies. Visit Ready.gov.
• National Pet Insurance Month. See April’s Pet Health Insurance Day.
• National Responsible Dog Ownership Month.
• National Service Dog Month.
• Pet Memorial Month.
• Pet Sitter Education Month.
• World Animal Remembrance Month.

Week-Long Observances

• Sept. 13-19: Adopt-a-Less-Adoptable-Pet Week.
• Sept. 21-27: National Deaf Dog Awareness Week. Last full week in September.
• Sept. 21-27: National Dog Week. Last full week in September.

One-Day Holidays

• Sept. 1: Ginger Cat Appreciation Day. Celebrating orange-coated cats who have made our world a little brighter with their flame-tinted fur and their colorful personalities.
• Sept. 1: Boykin Spaniel Day. A South Carolina observance honoring the South Carolina state dog.
• Sept. 5: Canine Enrichment Day. (UK)
• Sept. 5: National White Cat Day.
• Sept. 8: National Dog Walker Appreciation Day. This day (always Sept. 8) recognizes the work of professional dog walkers.
• Sept. 9: Happy Dog Day. (UK)
• Sept. 9: Tuxie Appreciation Day. A day to celebrate the formally-attired black and white cats.
• Sept. 13: Pet Birth Defect Awareness Day. A day dedicated to the issue of pet birth defects including information on identification, prevention and treatment.
• Sept. 13: Scooby-Doo Day. The dog detective made his debut on this date in 1969.
• Sept. 13: National Hug Your Hound Day. Second Sunday in September.
• Sept. 13: National Pet Memorial Day. Established by the International Association Of Pet Cemeteries & Crematories (IAOPCC). Second Sunday in September.
• Sept. 17: National Pet Carbon Monoxide Safety Day.
• Sept. 18: Love Your Dog Groomer Day. (UK)
• Sept. 19: National Meow Like a Pirate Day.
• Sept. 19: National Cat DNA Day.
• Sept. 19: Responsible Dog Ownership Day. Always the third Saturday in September.
• Sept. 19: Puppy Mill Awareness Day. Third Saturday in September.
• Sept. 21: National Cat and Dog Gut Health Awareness Day.
• Sept. 22: National Walk ‘n’ Roll Dog Day. Honoring dogs in wheelchairs and with mobility challenges.
• Sept. 23: Dogs in Politics Day (also known as Checkers Day). Recognizing the dogs of politicians.
• Sept. 23: Adopted Dog Day.
• Sept. 24: Remember Me Thursday® Remember Me Thursday® is an international social media awareness day that brings attention to the millions of adoptable pets waiting in shelters and remembers those pets who never got a second chance. Share your rescue pet using #RememberMeThursday.
• Sept. 25: National Schnauzer Day.
• Sept. 26: World’s Largest Pet Walk. Sponsored by Pet Partners
• Sept. 26: Old Yeller Day. Author Fred Gipson’s hometown of Mason, Texas celebrates the famous tale on the last Saturday of September
• Sept. 27: Sighthound Day.
• Sept. 28: World Rabies Day. Sponsored by the Global Alliance for Rabies Control.
• Sept. 29: Maneki-Neko Day or Beckoning Cat Day.
• Sept. 30: Pet Tricks Day. (UK)
• Sept. 30: National Puppy Mill Survivor Day.

More Pet Holidays

We’ve got 12 months of pet holidays here on DogTipper!