Pet Appreciation Week 2026: When It Is & How to Celebrate
In this article
View 3 More +Pet Appreciation Week, also known as PAW, is celebrated in the first week of June. The holiday is always the first Sunday in June and runs until the following Saturday, in case you missed it this year and want to celebrate it next year!
In this post, we'll discuss Pet Appreciation Week and everything you need to know about celebrating the holiday, whether you have pets to spoil or not. In other words, you don't have to be a pet owner to celebrate the holiday. Let's learn more about this precious pet holiday and how you can observe the week.
What Is the Purpose of Pet Appreciation Week?
Pet Appreciation Week was created by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) in 1981 to raise awareness about overall pet care. The purpose is to recognize pet owners' responsibilities toward pet care, fostering, and adoption. Pet owners can also use the week to appreciate their pets for being beloved companions. AVMA provides tips and tricks throughout the week on how to improve our pets’ lives.
With hectic schedules and busy lives, pet owners sometimes don’t have the time to spoil their pets like they want to—this is where Pet Appreciation Week comes in. This designated week allows pet owners to recognize just how much pets enrich our lives with their never-ending love and silliness that makes us laugh.
To pets, pet owners are their entire world, and they depend on their humans to take care of them. In return, pet owners can spoil their pets more than they already do during this week.
Would you like to know how you can celebrate your pet during Pet Appreciation Week? Of course, you do! Let’s check out ways to make the week fun for both you and your pet.
How to Celebrate Pet Appreciation Week
Buy Your Pet a New Toy
Pet Appreciation Week is the perfect time to take your pet to the local pet store to grab a new toy or two. Take your pet with you and let him pick out his own toy, and go ahead and buy special treats while you’re waiting to check out.
Hey, compulsive buys are not just for humans; pets love it when their owners grab a pig ear at the counter for a last-minute surprise or some other fabulous treat.
Teach Your Pet a New Trick
No matter what pet you have, you can spend the week teaching your pet a new trick. Dogs are generally easier to teach new tricks, but tricks are not limited to dogs. For example, did you know guinea pigs can learn tricks?
You can train a guinea pig to come when called, push a ball, and do other cool tricks. Do you have a pet bird? Birds are super intelligent and are most certainly capable of learning tricks.
Spend Quality Time with Your Pet
Spending quality time with your pet is important. It creates a bond and allows you to form a special relationship with your pet. For dogs, taking your canine to a local dog park is a good way to socialize him or simply let him be a dog around other dogs.
Whatever pet you have, spend some extra time playing, going on walks, taking car rides, or whatever else your particular pet enjoys.
Stock Up on Treats
All pets love treats, so why not spoil them with unique delights? You can even make homemade treats if you have the time; your pet will love it! Ensure, however, that you don't feed too many extras; for dogs, treats should make up only 10% of their daily calorie intake.
Consider Microchipping
Since Pet Awareness Week is reserved for the first week of June, you may want to consider getting your pet microchipped if you haven’t already. June is also National Microchip Month, so what better way to incorporate the two holidays together?
A microchip is a small electronic chip inserted into your pet's skin. While not a GPS-tracking device, it's beneficial if your pet gets lost. Microchips allow an animal facility or veterinary practice to scan the chip, which will provide your information so you can be contacted. Having it inserted does not hurt your pet, and no surgery is required.
How to Celebrate Pet Appreciation Week for Non-Pet Owners
Not everyone is a pet owner, and some people may love and appreciate pets but don’t have the time to devote to one, and that’s okay! Non-pet owners can celebrate the week in other ways, such as:
Donating to Your Local Animal Shelter
Animal shelters are always in need of monetary donations. If you can’t make a monetary donation, they are always willing to accept beds, blankets, food, food and water bowls, treats, toys, and anything else pet-related.
Spending Time with Animals in Shelters
Animals in shelters want nothing more than to be adopted. We know not everyone is in a position to adopt, but you can still visit shelters and spend quality time with the animals in them. You will brighten an animal’s day simply by hanging out, playing, or just giving lots and lots of love.
Adopting a Pet From a Local Rescue or Shelter
If you’re considering adding a pet to your family, what better week than Pet Appreciation Week? In the United States, roughly 6.3 million companion animals enter shelters each year. Millions of animals are in need of loving homes, and you can help save a life, all while providing the love and care an animal deserves.
Some people prefer to buy from a breeder due to wanting a specific breed; however, purebred dogs enter shelters too, and you just may find what you’re looking for. At any rate, adopting an animal from a shelter is much cheaper than buying from a breeder, and you’ll be helping cut down on the unbelievably high rate of homeless pets.
How to Keep Your Pet Safe During Pet Appreciation Week
We all want our animals to enjoy Pet Appreciation Week, but it needs to be done safely. Ensure you don’t provide too many treats in a given day—remember, treats should account for only 10% of your pet’s daily calories.
Make sure your pet is comfortable going to dog parks if that’s an activity you plan on doing with your pet. Let’s face it, not all pet owners are responsible. We recommend taking your pet to a park you trust and one that receives excellent reviews.
Supervise your pet while playing with any new toys, especially ones that can end up being a choking hazard when bits and pieces break off, at which point they should be thrown away.
Always feed your pet high-quality food, and if you have an exotic pet, ensure you follow feeding guidelines for your specific pet kiddo.
Final Thoughts
Pet Appreciation Week is an excellent time to show how much you appreciate the enrichment your pet gives you every day. Animals are special and should be treated as such.
We must ensure we take care of our pets each and every day and provide medical care when needed. Don’t forget to keep up with yearly checkups, and most of all, always give your pet lots and lots of love each day.
See also:
Sources
Featured Image Credit: Chendongshan, Shutterstock
GetIn Your Inbox
Want content like this delivered to you?
News, insights, expert advice, and everything dog
Rachel Giordano is a writer and musician living in Pensacola, Florida, with her partner and their two dogs, Aero, a Border Collie/Sheltie mix and Sophie, a Boston Terrier. Rachel holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in communication and loves writing about animals of all types. When she’s not writing about pets, she loves to write suspense/thriller novels. A musician by night and writer by day, she enjoys educating the public about the needs and requirements of animals, big and small.
