February is all about love, care, and connection—and not just the Valentine’s kind. This month is packed with meaningful observances that help pet retailers educate pet parents, celebrate companionship, and reinforce the role independent pet shops play in long-term pet wellness. From health-focused month-long campaigns to lighthearted one-day celebrations, February offers plenty of opportunities to build loyalty, boost engagement, and drive repeat visits.
Month-Long Observances
Month-Long Observances
Pet Dental Health Month
Pet Dental Health Month shines a spotlight on an often-overlooked part of pet wellness: oral care. Dental disease can impact a pet’s overall health, yet many pet parents don’t realize how important regular dental routines are. February is the perfect time to educate customers, promote preventative care, and position your store as a trusted resource for long-term pet health.
How Retailers Can Get Involved:
Create a “Smile More” Promotion: Use My Promotions to offer a discount on dental chews, water additives, toothbrushes, or oral sprays.
Bundle Dental Essentials: Pair complementary dental products together and promote them with an in-store display and an Astro Marketing Suite email.
Enroll in Dental-Focused Astro Offers: Highlight brand-funded dental promotions to give pet parents extra value without cutting into margins.
Educate Through Email or Social: Use the Astro Marketing Suite to send a short educational email about signs of dental disease and how easy at-home care can be.
National Cat Health Month
National Cat Health Month encourages proactive wellness care for cats—from nutrition and hydration to enrichment and preventative health. It’s also a great opportunity to engage cat parents, who often appreciate educational content tailored specifically to their feline companions.
How Retailers Can Get Involved:
Stack Value with Astro Offers: Highlight brand-funded offers on premium cat nutrition to encourage trial.
Run a Cat-Only Email Campaign: Use the Astro Marketing Suite to educate cat parents on hydration, protein quality, and species-appropriate diets.
Promote Cat Adoption Rewards: Remind customers that newly adopted cats may qualify for brand-sponsored bundles and bounce-back savings.
- Offer a Free Cat Nutrition Consult: Use My Promotions to invite cat parents in for a complimentary nutrition consult and pair it with an Astro Offer on raw or wet cat diets.
Run a Cat Nutrition Consult Promotion
Offer a free in-store cat nutrition consult paired with a limited-time in-house discount on raw or wet cat diets. Use My Promotions to apply the discount after the consult, reinforcing education-first selling while encouraging trial of higher-quality nutrition options.
To support this:
Promote the consult via an Astro Marketing Suite email or social post
Use your My Promotions materials at the counter to spark conversations
Pair with relevant Astro Offers on eligible cat food brands to stack value for pet parents
Why this works:
Cat parents often feel overwhelmed or unsure when it comes to nutrition—especially raw or wet diets. A free consult removes friction, builds trust, and makes the upgrade feel guided rather than sales-driven.
Dog Training Education Month
Dog Training Education Month focuses on building strong bonds between dogs and their humans through consistent training and enrichment. Whether it’s puppy basics or reinforcing good habits, this observance helps retailers position training tools and rewards-based products as essential—not optional.
How Retailers Can Get Involved:
Promote Training Essentials: Create a My Promotion on treats, clickers, leashes, harnesses, and enrichment toys.
Create a “Good Dog” Campaign Series: Send an Astro Marketing Suite email highlighting positive reinforcement training tips and featured products.
Pair Training with Nutrition: Cross-promote high-value training treats using Astro Offers to encourage trial.
Partner Locally: Highlight local trainers or classes in your messaging and recommend products that support their programs.
Adopt a Rescued Rabbit Month
✨ Added for broader small-animal inclusion
Adopt a Rescued Rabbit Month raises awareness around rabbit adoption and responsible small-animal care. Rabbits are often misunderstood pets, and this observance allows retailers to educate pet parents while supporting rescue-driven adoptions.
How Retailers Can Get Involved:
Promote Small-Animal Adoption Rewards: If your store participates, highlight rabbit adoption bundles and eligible products.
Create a “Welcome Home” Promotion: Use My Promotions to offer discounts on hay, bedding, enrichment, and habitat essentials.
Educate Customers: Share care tips via the Astro Marketing Suite to help new rabbit parents feel confident and supported.
Highlight Rescue Partnerships: If you work with local rescues, spotlight them in-store or in your February email campaigns.
Single Day Holidays
Annual Doggie Date Night
Annually on February 3
Annual Doggie Date Night celebrates the special bond between dogs and their humans. It’s a fun, feel-good holiday that encourages quality time—and a perfect excuse to spoil pups a little extra.
How Retailers Can Get Involved:
Create a “Date Night” Bundle: Create a My Promotion on treats, toys, or chews perfect for a cozy night in.
Promote Astro Offers: Highlight indulgent or premium treat offers for a limited time.
Run a Social Contest: Encourage customers to share photos of their doggie date nights and tag your store.
Send a Lighthearted Email: Use the Astro Marketing Suite to share the holiday and recommend a few featured products.
Valentine’s Day
Annually on February 14
Valentine’s Day isn’t just for couples—it’s for pets, too. Many pet parents love celebrating their furry companions as their truest loves, making this one of the strongest retail moments of the month.
How Retailers Can Get Involved:
Launch a “Puppy Love” or “Meowentine’s” Promotion: Use My Promotions for themed treats, toys, or accessories.
Feature Valentine’s Astro Offers: Promote brand-funded deals that make gifting easy.
Create Gift-Ready Displays: Pair products together and promote them via email or social.
Celebrate Adopted Pets: Encourage customers to share adoption stories and remind them of Adoption Rewards for new pet parents.
Random Acts of Kindness Day
Annually on February 17
Random Acts of Kindness Day is a reminder that small gestures can have a big impact. For pet retailers, this holiday is a natural extension of the compassion and care they show every day—whether it’s helping a new pet parent get started, supporting local rescues, or simply being a friendly, trusted presence in the community. It’s a great opportunity to celebrate goodwill, strengthen customer relationships, and reinforce the heart behind shopping local.
How Retailers Can Get Involved:
Create a Kindness Promotion: Use My Promotions to offer a small surprise discount or free add-on as a thank-you for shopping local.
Give Back Together: Donate a portion of sales to a local rescue or shelter and promote the effort via an Astro Marketing Suite email or in-store signage.
Highlight Adoption Rewards: Use this day to remind customers how Adoption Rewards support newly adopted pets and the rescues that care for them.
Share Some Love: Encourage customers to perform a pet-related act of kindness—like donating supplies or sharing adoption stories—and spotlight these moments on social media or in email.
Love Your Pet Day
Annually on February 20
Love Your Pet Day is all about appreciation, care, and gratitude. It’s a natural fit for messaging around wellness, enrichment, and everyday essentials.
How Retailers Can Get Involved:
Run a Storewide Thank-You Promotion: Use My Promotions as a “love note” to your customers.
Highlight Wellness Products: Promote supplements, enrichment, or comfort items using Astro Offers.
Send a Gratitude Email: Use the Astro Marketing Suite to thank customers for supporting local and independent pet retail.
Invite App Engagement: Encourage customers to check their loyalty progress in the Astro App.
Walking the Dog Day
Annually on February 22
Walking the Dog Day celebrates one of the simplest—and most important—daily routines for dogs. It’s a great opportunity to spotlight gear, safety, and enrichment products.
How Retailers Can Get Involved:
Promote Walking Gear: Use a My Promotion on leashes, collars, harnesses, coats, or poop bags.
Feature Safety-Focused Astro Offers: Highlight reflective gear, winter-friendly walking accessories, or training treats.
Educational Campaign: Send an Astro Marketing Suite email with cold-weather or leash-training tips.
Encourage Routine Building: Tie walking habits back to training and enrichment products in-store.
National Dog Biscuit Day
Annually on February 23
National Dog Biscuit Day is a lighthearted, treat-focused holiday that’s perfect for driving impulse purchases and sampling new products.
How Retailers Can Get Involved:
Run a Biscuit Bonanza Promotion: Create a My Promotion for dog biscuits and baked treats.
Highlight Astro Offers: Feature brand-funded biscuit deals to encourage trial.
Sampling Opportunity: Offer in-store samples where possible.
Fun Social Content: Share staff-pick treats or “top biscuit” recommendations.
World Spay Day
Annually on February 26
World Spay Day focuses on responsible pet ownership and the importance of spaying and neutering to improve animal health and reduce pet overpopulation. This observance aligns closely with adoption, education, and long-term wellness—values that independent pet retailers champion year-round. World Spay Day provides a meaningful moment to support rescue efforts, educate pet parents, and highlight products and programs that help newly adopted pets thrive.
How Retailers Can Get Involved:
Support Adoption & Rescue Messaging: Highlight Adoption Rewards and reinforce your store’s role in supporting responsible pet ownership.
Educate with Purpose: Use the Astro Marketing Suite to share a short educational message about spay/neuter benefits and why it matters for long-term pet health.
Promote Post-Procedure Essentials: Create a My Promotion for recovery-friendly items like cones, calming aids, soft bedding, or supplements.
Partner Locally: Share information about local clinics, spay/neuter programs, or upcoming adoption events to position your store as a community resource.
