Here at Dogster, we’re big fans of celebrating “gotcha days,” and by this we mean that day you were drawn in by those sad or hopeful eyes behind the bars at the shelter and made that pup a permanent part of your pack. The gotcha day oftentimes replaces an adopted dog’s birthday celebration since rescues or shelters don’t always have that data to share.
But if you neglected to mark your calendar the day you took your dog home, fret not. For today is DOGust the first, the universal birthday of shelter dogs everywhere. Yes, yes this is a thing. And it has been since August 2008, when the North Shore Animal League declared it so:
“Many pet parents are known to select a random date to celebrate their adopted dog’s birthday, such as a significant occasion, a family member’s birthday, a special holiday that reflects the dog’s personality, or in many cases, the date on which they adopted the animal. Now, pet owners can truly designate a celebratory date with the unveiling of DOGust the First.”
Anyway, whether you buy it or not, we are always looking for reasons to celebrate our dogs here at Dogster, so we’re into it. So, if you were looking for an excuse to give your dog an extra long walk or her favorite treat today, it doesn’t get any better than this.
To help you celebrate, we’re doing a little giveaway here at HQ. If you share your rescue pup’s adoption story with us in the comments below, you’ll have the chance to pick up one of our limited edition summer totes (pictured below). We will pick our three favorite stories (and we’ll ship worldwide to encourage our Dogsters outside the U.S. to share).
How to Enter
- Create a Disqus account, if you haven’t already, and include a valid email. It takes just a minute and allows you to better participate in Dogster’s community of people who are passionate about dogs. If you already have a Disqus account, check it to ensure the account includes a valid email.
- Comment below using your Disqus account, telling us how your rescue or shelter dog came into your life. Bonus points for photos! Our three favorite comments win.
- Check your email for a “You’ve Won!” message from us after noon PST on Thursday, August 7. We’ll give the winners two days to respond before moving on to our next favorite.
