National Pet Day was founded by Celebrity Pet Lifestyle Expert & Animal Welfare Advocate Colleen Paige, who also founded National Dog Day and National Cat Day {among others} and is sponsored by the Animal Miracle Foundation & Network, to celebrate the joy pets bring to our lives and to create public awareness about the plight of many different kinds of animals awaiting a forever home in shelters all across the nation.

Almost any non-exotic animal you can think of, from dogs and cats, to small animals, farm, reptile and avian...there are pets who need your love.

It's estimated that approximately 16,000 pets die in U.S. shelters every single day. This means that roughly every single hour of the day, 667 sweet furry babies are taking their last breath.

This is just cats and dogs and does not include the thousands of other unwanted animals that people consider pets. Right now, while you're reading this, hundreds of animals are dying. It's a painful reality but we must not give up hope to change it.

But think about this....while you are spending money on coffee, make-up, handbags, vacations, sports gear, junk food, music, beauty salons, movies, tanning, clothing and so much more - you may want to ask yourself whether you really need it.

Just one time, make the decision to forego what you want to buy and donate the money to save a life. Support the spay/neuter programs of your local shelters and rescues, donate even a dollar a month. If a million people donated $1 a month, that's 12 MILLION dollars raised for shelters across the nation. Think of how much that would change the world for unwanted pets. Buying or consuming nothing close to the items mentioned above will make you feel more happy, more beautiful or more whole, than saving a life.
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