World Animal Day

Introduction:

World Animal Day is an international day of action to raise the status of animals and improve their welfare and is celebrated annually on October 4, the feast day of Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals.

History:

World Animal Day, was originated by cynologist Heinrich Zimmermann. He organised the first World Animal Day on March 24, 1925 at the Sport Palace in Berlin, Germany. Over 5,000 people attended this first event. The activity was originally scheduled for October 4, to align with the feast day of Saint Francis of Assisi, patron saint of ecology. Unfortunately the venue was not available on that day. The event was then moved to October 4 for the first time in 1929. Every year, Zimmermann worked tirelessly on the promotion of World Animal Day. Finally, in May 1931 at a congress of the International Animal Protection Congress in Florence Italy, his proposal to make October 4 World Animal Day universal was unanimously accepted and adopted as a resolution.

Conclusion:

World Animal Day now has a network of 97 ambassadors from animal organisations in over 70 countries around the world, including Jill Robinson, founder and CEO of the Animals Asia Foundation.World Animal Day Ambassadors can apply for annual grants, sponsored by Naturewatch Foundation, to fund animal welfare projects in their country. These grants are awarded to projects that they believe will have a significant and lasting impact on animal welfare. Grant submissions are usually accepted between February and May, and announced in August. The World Animal Day movement is also supported and endorsed by a number of celebrities, such as Anneka Svenska, Brian Blessed and Melanie C.