World Animal Day is celebrated each year on October 4. It started in Florence, Italy in 1931 at a convention of ecologists as a way of highlighting the plight of endangered species. On this day, animal life in all its forms is celebrated, and special events are planned on locations all over the globe.
October 4 was originally chosen for World Animal Day because it is the feast day of Francis of Assisi, a nature lover and patron saint of animals and the environment. Numerous churches throughout the world observe the Sunday closest to 4 October with a Blessing for the Animals.
However, World Animal Day is not an exclusively Christian event, the day is observed by animal-lovers of all beliefs, nationalities and backgrounds. World Animal Day is not linked to any one individual, organization, or campaign, but belongs to everyone.
The number of World Animal Day events taking place throughout the world has increased year upon year and with your help we can ensure the trend continues. World Animal Day is reporting that in 2010, hundreds of events are taking place in more than 73 countries around the globe.
For more information go to World Animal Day.
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