Although this originated in USA and is still called "National" it now appears to be global, celebrated in many countries.

National Pet Day began in 2006 when Animal Welfare Advocate Colleen Page decided she wanted to celebrate the joy that pets bring into people’s lives. As a Pet & Family Lifestyle Expert, she wanted to celebrate all pets.

Advocating for the adoption of pets from animal shelters, she brainstormed the holiday to create public awareness for the animals awaiting homes in shelters. According to the ASPCA, approximately 6.5 million animals enter animal shelters every year.

The number of animals entering shelters has been significantly decreasing over the years. But there’s still a significant number of animals entering and being euthanized due to shelter capacity and lack of awareness.

Page hopes that these numbers can continue to decrease with the celebration of National Pet Day. Encouraging adoption as a first choice is one of the main ideas behind National Pet Day.

This is especially true in regards to those who are thinking about purchasing a pet from a breeder. On this day, people are encouraged to love their pets, spoil them, adopt pets, and volunteer at the local animal shelter.