Like casting a pebble into a pond, every single World Animal Day event causes a ripple effect leading to many more events being held the following year.
And this year is no exception! News of World Animal Day and its mission to raise the status of animals continues to spread and reach an ever increasing number of people in all corners of the world.
Trending on social media in 25 countries and online media articles highlighting this special day, all helped raise awareness of animal welfare issues.
Celebrities such as Rohit Sharma, Ricky Gervais, Dia Mirza, Eesha Rebba, Carolina Marin, Diana Penty, Kristin Davis, Cesar Milan, Jane Goodall, Simon Cowell, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Evanna Lynch, Michael Monroe, and Bill Bailey, to name but a few, came out in force to speak up for animals. Countless animal-related organisations and publications also helped tremendously to direct traffic to World Animal Day.
www.worldanimalday.org.uk/events is proud to showcase some of the hundreds of inspiring events that took place this year to celebrate this special day. Here is just a snapshot so please visit the website for more:
Every year events are held to plant seeds of compassion in the hearts of the younger generation as they are our main hope for a brighter future for the animals.
Here are just a few – In Lithuania, a class discussion was held aimed at highlighting how important it is to be a responsible animal carer. In Ivory Coast, MAEP organised a children’s drawing contest to raise awareness of the many animal welfare issues in Africa.
In Serbia a childrens art competition, concert, and awards to recognise the contribution of individuals to improving animal welfare. In Spain, three days were dedicated to celebrating animals with a whole host of fun-filled educational activities for school children.
In South Africa, Lionsrock Big Cat Sanctuary shared a fun day of educational activities with 50 children. In Turkey, school children had great fun making houses for stray cats in their neighbourhood.
In India, the JBF Society held two, free anti-rabies vaccination and pet health check clinics.
In the UK a whole host of events took place including events in schools, a family fun day residents of Southampton were invited to participate in an event to raise awareness of animal issues through a series of fun and educational activities for all the family. A vigil was held at Huntingdon Life Sciences to remember the animals that have suffered behind the closed doors of this testing laboratory.
Every year in Cochabamba, Bolivia, a wonderful mass is held, to which pets are invited, to remind people of their obligation to care for the country’s animals.
In Sri Lanka, the Otara Foundation chose to focus on animals that are robbed from their natural habitat and deprived of freedom for man’s commercial benefit. In the USA, ‘Roar for Tony the Tiger’ has become an annual event. Tony has lived all of his seventeen years as a roadside attraction in Louisiana.
In Egypt, 120 VIPs attended a conference at the Greater Cairo Library with well-respected guests speaking up for the country’s animals.
In Liberia a massive celebration was held bringing together over 2,000 children, animal carers, stakeholders and community leaders to raise awareness about the plight of the country’s animals.
In Syria, the Ministry of Education has agreed add images of different Syrian wild animals to the front of biology text books with information about them on the back page.
In The Gambia a march was organised and attended by government departments, stakeholders, animal welfare oranisations and students. It was followed by speeches and plays by children which demonstrated a real understanding of local animal welfare issues.
In Yogyakarta, Indonesia, an online campaign was held focusing upon why it’s important to be a responsible pet guardian.
In Kurdistan, Iraq, KOARP, winners of the 2016 World Animal Day Grant, will be following up training carried out earlier this year, holding a seminar, and gaining media attention for animals.
Many cities hold marches to draw attention to animal welfare issues. One such march was held in Medellín, Colombia, calling for the government to ban bullfighting in the country.
Every year, countless radio and TV interviews are conducted on and around World Animal Day which help to raise awareness on a massive scale.
A street campaign organised in Pelembang, Sumatra, Indonesia, caught the attention of a nationwide radio show resulting in the organisers being invited to participate in an hour long interview. In Malawi, All Creatures CEO and World Animal Day Ambassador appeared on national TV to discuss animal health issues and highlight the objectives of World Animal Day. In the US, World Animal Day featured in a television talk show, A close-up look at animal welfare issues.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina activists launched an appeal to government imploring them to honour the fur farming ban that is due to come into force in January 2018. Forty-six World Animal Day Ambassadors have expressed their support for this action. The country’s children say no to fur farming.
What you have read here is a tiny snapshot of what happened around the world to draw attention to animals in honour of World Animal Day on October 4.
This powerful movement, that grows each year, is helping to make the world a better place for animals – a world where they are always recognised as sentient beings and full regard is always paid to their welfare.
We encourage everyone who reads this to Get Involved next year and help raise the status of animals.
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