August is a big month for our natural and holistic pet health shops. We have RAWgust and National Holistic Pet Day centered around holistic and nutritional health. Then we have several holidays celebrating dogs and cats while encouraging adoption. Get your August Offers and Sharing the Love programs ready. August is your month!
Sharing the Love BONUS!
We have templates for a New Dog/Puppy Checklist and a New Cat/Kitten Checklist that you can customize with your store’s Adoption Programs. The front of the checklist will help your customer remember to grab all the necessities while they are in your store on Welcome Home Day, while the other side will help them build their bundle. We recommend walking around the store with them and helping them find the items on their checklist. This will give you the opportunity to answer their questions while getting to know them and their new pet.
Month-Long Observances
Week-Long Holidays
Single Day Holidays
- International Cat Day (Aug. 8)
- Spoil Your Dog Day (Aug. 10)
- National Check the Chip Day (Aug. 15)
- National Black Cat Appreciation Day (Aug. 17)
- International Homeless Animals’ Day (Aug. 21)
- National Take Your Cat to the Vet Day (Aug. 22)
- International Blind Dog Day (Aug. 23)
- National Dog Day (Aug. 26)
- Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day (Aug. 28)
- National Holistic Pet Day (Aug. 30)
Month-Long Observances
You have a full month to bring awareness to these educationally centric holidays while promoting your store, products, and loyalty programs.
RAWgust
Raw is a fantastic product for Neighborhood Pet Shops, especially the frozen varieties, since they are not easily shipped. Most raw brands are exclusively offered in indie pet shops since they know these shops are the best suited to communicate the value of their diets to pet owners.
Those of us in pet health retail have learned that not all our customers may be open to trying this diet. Pet parents’ hesitation is primarily due to a misunderstanding of what raw-feeding entails.
“Is it safe?” “Doesn’t my cat need crunchy food to clean their teeth?” “But my vet said XYZ.” “My dog weighs over 100lbs, how can I afford to feed him this way?”
This is why we work so hard to train our staff to best answer the many questions our customers pose. When it comes to Raw, education is essential!
Food can be the fuel that drives us, or the poison that hinders us – it’s the same with our pets. You wouldn’t put diesel gas in an unleaded tank, or vice versa. It doesn’t mean that one food is necessarily bad; it’s just not fitting for your pet’s unique needs.
I have found that sharing our pets’ nutrition journeys with our customers is the most relatable and, in some cases, more effective than just sharing straight facts – which we all know by heart.
How Retailers Can Get Involved:
Host a Raw Feeding Q&A: Invite customers to stop by for a conversation about raw diets, safe food handling, and choosing appropriate nutrition for their pets. Partner with a veterinary nutrition professional when possible.
Spotlight Your Raw Food Brands: Feature the raw and freeze-dried brands you carry through in-store displays, social media posts, and educational email campaigns.
Share Real Raw Feeding Stories: Feature staff members’ and customers’ experiences with raw feeding, including their reasons for choosing it, challenges, and lessons learned.
Encourage Product Discovery: Highlight eligible Astro Offers and Frequent Buyer Programs to help interested customers explore different raw food options. Encourage customers to consult their veterinarian before making dietary changes.
Neighborhood Blogs to Share
Check out my Huxley’s Road to Recovery with Raw, along with my foster Alice Kitty’s Raw Journey from Foster to Forever Home. You are more than welcome to share this story with your customers while adding your own personal experiences.
Top Benefits of a Raw Diet for Dogs & Cats | Happy RAWgust! is another blog from the neighborhood that you are welcome to share with your customers.
Week-Long Holidays
You have a full week to celebrate, bring awareness to, and partake in these charitable holidays while promoting your store, products, and loyalty programs.
International Assistance Dog Week
1st Full Week in August: August 2 - 8, 2026
International Assistance Dog Week (IADW) was created to recognize all the devoted, hardworking assistance dogs helping individuals mitigate their disability-related limitations.
The goals of IADW are to:
- Recognize and honor assistance dogs
- Raise awareness and educate the public about assistance dogs
- Honor puppy raisers and trainers
- Recognize heroic deeds performed by assistance dogs in our communities
You can visit the Working Like Dogs website or check out Assistance Dogs International for more information.
How Retailers Can Get Involved:
Celebrate Local Assistance Dog Teams: With their permission, spotlight assistance dogs, their handlers, and the important work they do in your community.
Support an Assistance Dog Organization: Partner with a reputable training organization to collect donations or raise funds to support its programs.
Educate Your Community: Share information about assistance dog etiquette, including why people should never distract, touch, or feed a working dog without permission.
Recognize Puppy Raisers and Trainers: Highlight the dedicated volunteers and professionals who help prepare assistance dogs for their important roles.
Give a Dog a Bone Week
1st Full Week in August: August 2 - 8, 2026
Hosted by Pets of the Homeless, the event features more than 400 Pets of the Homeless donation sites nationwide asking their community to bring donations of pet food and supplies to assist the pets of the homeless.
Feeding Pets of the Homeless® believes in the healing power of companion pets and of the human/animal bond which is very important in the lives of many homeless. They find solace, protection, and companionship through their pets. They care for their pets on limited resources so they themselves have less.
Our task, nationwide, is to feed and provide basic emergency veterinary care to their pets and thus relieve the anguish and anxiety of the homeless who cannot provide for their pets.
“I am his only friend. And he is mine. When there was no one else there for me, he was. And now when there is no one else there for him, I am.”
Do you want to get involved? Your store can register to be a donation site. They have donation sites and resources across the USA and Canada. You can also download their free media kit and some images to help raise awareness of their cause.
How Retailers Can Get Involved:
Become a Donation Site: Register your store as a collection location for Feeding Pets of the Homeless or partner with a local organization supporting pets of people experiencing homelessness.
Organize a Pet Supply Drive: Encourage customers to donate unopened pet food, treats, and essential supplies requested by your donation partner.
Create Donation Bundles: Assemble affordable packages of frequently needed supplies that customers can purchase and donate directly through your store.
Spread Awareness: Use your Astro Marketing Suite to educate customers about the importance of the human-animal bond and invite them to support your collection efforts.
Single Day Holidays
Bring attention to these holidays and your related promotions in the days leading up to them via Astro Campaigns. Then hit your social media pages on the day off to spread some cheer!
DOGust 1st: Universal Birthday for Shelter Dogs
Annually on August 1st
The North Shore Animal League America, the world’s largest no-kill animal rescue and adoption organization, declared August 1 as a birthday for all the shelter animals whose birthdays are unknown. Happy DOGust!
When shelter dogs are adopted, their new family usually gives them a new birthday or celebrates their Gotcha Day instead of a traditional birthday. For those dogs who have yet to find their forever home, this date serves as a universal celebration. On DOGust 1st, it is encouraged to spread the word and raise awareness about pet adoption services and shelters in general, praising them for all the incredible work they do in rescuing and caring for animals across the country and the world. So let’s do that!
How Retailers Can Get Involved:
Throw a Shelter Dog Birthday Party: Partner with a local rescue or shelter to host an adoption awareness event celebrating dogs whose birthdays are unknown.
Celebrate Your Sharing the Love Alumni: Send a birthday greeting to customers who have welcomed rescue dogs into their families through your store’s Sharing the Love programs.
Create Birthday Goodie Bags: Assemble birthday-themed bundles featuring toys, treats, and other goodies, with a portion of proceeds benefiting a local shelter.
Spotlight Adoptable Birthday Pups: Feature local shelter dogs on your social media pages and remind customers about the Sharing the Love Adoption Rewards available at your store.
National Friendship Day
1st Sunday in August : August 2, 2026
Ok. Technically, this holiday celebrates human friendships – the platonic relationship between humans. But my pets are my best friends! So we’re politely borrowing this holiday for humans and their best-fur-friends everywhere.
One of the best ways to make a friendship official is by sharing gifts and tokens of one’s appreciation. And because our pets love everything we give them (erm… dogs do and most cats – my cats are still offended by my “fun” idea of packing them in a backpack and making them adventure cats…), we can’t go wrong!
So share your Astro Offers, your latest toys, and enrichment games, and give your customers and their pets something to play with! We’re talking Game Nights, Adventures, and Netflix & Cuddles.
How Retailers Can Get Involved:
Celebrate Best Furry Friends: Invite customers to share photos and stories about their pets, their best friends, and the special bonds they share.
Promote Activities Pets Can Enjoy Together: Highlight interactive toys, enrichment puzzles, and outdoor adventure gear that encourage quality time between pets and their people.
Host a Pet Friendship Photo Contest: Encourage customers to submit pictures of their pets with their favorite companions, whether they’re human, canine, feline, or otherwise!
Help Customers Meet Their New Best Friend: Partner with a local rescue to showcase adoptable pets and promote your store’s Sharing the Love Adoption Rewards.
🇨🇦 New Brunswick Day, British Columbia Day, George Hamilton Day, and Saskatchewan Day!
1st Monday in August : August 3, 2026
Happy Birthday, New Brunswick! Happy British Columbia Day! Happy George Hamilton Day, Ontario, and Happy Saskatchewan Day! Did I miss anyone? Is this one of those situations where your parents made you share birthdays to save on cake?
Encourage your customers to enjoy their long weekend, with the family pets in tow! I’m picturing an adventure at a local lake, or maybe a hike to return to nature. All of these adventures require gear! And snacks! Share your Offers and showcase your outdoor adventure gear.
How Retailers Can Get Involved:
Promote Long-Weekend Adventures: Showcase travel essentials, portable water bowls, hiking gear, and other products for pet-friendly holiday outings.
Share Local Pet-Friendly Destinations: Highlight parks, trails, beaches, and attractions where customers can enjoy the long weekend with their pets.
Host a Long-Weekend Promotion: Feature applicable Astro Offers and Frequent Buyer Programs to encourage customers to stock up before heading out of town.
Celebrate Your Community: Share photos of local pets enjoying their province, highlight neighborhood businesses, or collaborate with another independent business on a holiday promotion.
Assistance Dog Day
Annually on August 4th
Assistance Dog Day recognizes and honors assistance dogs and their trainers, and aims to raise funds and increase awareness of their work. It is part of International Assistance Dog Week, a yearly event started by long-time paraplegic Marcie Davis, founder of Working Like Dogs.
You can show your support by bringing awareness to their cause in your community. Visit the Working Like Dogs website or check out Assistance Dogs International for more information.
How Retailers Can Get Involved:
Honor an Assistance Dog Team: With permission, share the story of a local assistance dog and its handler to recognize their partnership.
Support Assistance Dog Training: Organize a fundraiser or donation drive benefiting a reputable assistance dog organization.
Share Assistance Dog Facts: Create educational social media posts explaining the different tasks assistance dogs perform and how they support their handlers.
Promote Respectful Interactions: Remind customers that assistance dogs are working animals and should never be distracted while performing their duties.
International Cat Day
Annually on August 8th
On this day, we celebrate our most ancient and common pet, the cat. There was even a point in our history when cats were worshiped as gods! And if you still worship your cat as a magical creature, no judgment. There have been times I have asked mine while they are staring off into the corner with their gigantic pupils – “What is it? Is it a bug? I don’t see it. What do you see!? Grandma, is that you???”
Cats are super special! Cat person or not, you would have to agree. There are just too many fun facts about their superpowers to deny it!
- Cats are Good for Your Health
- Yup, that’s right. Research shows that having a cat around reduces blood pressure and the chance of having a heart attack. They are natural stress reducers- some people find their purring to be exceptionally soothing. They’re also pretty great at making you laugh- and we all know that laughter is the best medicine.
- The Ancient Egyptians once worshiped Cats
- Cats look very similar to the Egyptian goddess Bastet, and because of this, they were held in very high regard.
- Cats Have Nine Lives
- Well, it’s more like one long one. Cats, on average, can live 15 years. It is most likely their agility that contributes to the belief in nine lives. They are very good at always landing on their feet.
- Cats are Very Intelligent
- Cats are constantly learning and have excellent memories. I swear they can tell time too- they always seem to know when it is meal time, and god forbid you are late serving them!
- Cats Make You Smarter
- No, seriously! According to a study conducted at Carroll University in Waukesha, Wisconsin, self-proclaimed cat lovers scored higher on intelligence tests than dog lovers did.
How Retailers Can Get Involved:
Celebrate Your Feline Customers: Invite customers to submit pictures of their cats for a special International Cat Day social media showcase.
Host a Cat Enrichment Event: Demonstrate puzzle feeders, interactive toys, scratchers, and other products that encourage healthy feline behaviors.
Showcase Adoptable Cats: Partner with a local cat rescue to share adoption profiles and introduce new cat parents to your Sharing the Love Adoption Rewards.
Treat Cats to Something Special: Feature your favorite feline products and eligible Astro Offers, or create a special promotion on cat toys, treats, or enrichment essentials.
Spoil Your Dog Day
Annually on August 10th
I didn’t need an excuse, but OK, I’ll take it!
This is a great holiday to get out in front of. Make sure your customers are aware of your Treat Offers. You could even run your own My Promotion on some of your favorite Toys or Chews.
National Today makes an excellent point about the holiday. “Dog owners know that too much spoiling can lead to bad health or behavioral problems. For a lot of dog owners, it’s less about when to spoil their dogs and more about how to keep from spoiling them too much.
National Spoil Your Dog Day is the perfect time to pamper our pets, and by concentrating a lot of our spoiling on a single day, we leave room for our dogs to enjoy a more balanced lifestyle, overall.”
So, what are some good ways to spoil a dog without spoiling their disposition or making them obese?
Puzzle Games are fantastic because they give our dogs a task to perform to earn their reward. They can be used to dispense treats- which they may actually taste! Or they can be used to slow down their meal times, improving their digestion. They are also great tools to distract from and overcome separation anxiety. We all know that mental stimulation is the perfect cure for boredom!
Outdoor Adventures like long walks, fetch/frisbee, swimming, hikes, or runs are all ways that we can spoil our dogs in their favorite places while keeping both them and ourselves in shape. Let your customers know about the gear you carry and paint a picture of a fun day outdoors.
How Retailers Can Get Involved:
Create a Spoil Your Dog Display: Feature a selection of special treats, toys, chews, and enrichment products that customers can use to pamper their pups.
Host a Doggie Treat Tasting: Invite customers to bring their dogs for samples of suitable treats while discovering new brands and flavors.
Share Healthy Ways to Spoil Dogs: Demonstrate enrichment activities, puzzle toys, and other ways pet parents can show affection without overfeeding.
Launch a Spoil Your Dog Promotion: Highlight eligible Astro Offers or run a store-specific promotion on your favorite dog toys, treats, and accessories.
National Check the Chip Day
Annually on August 15th
One of my greatest fears is the thought of one of my pets going missing. Doing everything we can to prepare while they are home safe will significantly increase their chance of returning home if something were to happen.
To remind pet owners to have their pets microchipped and to keep the registration information up-to-date, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) joined together to create Check the Chip Day.
Microchips greatly increase the chances that pets will be reunited with their families if they are lost or stolen…but a microchip only works if its registration information is accurate.
As a pet food and supply shop, you can help remind your customers to check to make sure their chip registrations are up to date. You can print a copy of the infographic created by HomeAgain, the AVMA, and AAHA. Then hang it up in your store, and share helpful links on your timeline.
How Retailers Can Get Involved:
Remind Customers to Check Their Pet’s Microchip: Send an email or social media reminder encouraging pet owners to verify that their contact information is current.
Share Microchip Resources: Direct customers to the AAHA Universal Pet Microchip Lookup Tool and educational resources explaining how microchip registration works.
Partner with a Local Veterinarian or Shelter: Collaborate on an educational event or microchip scanning clinic led by qualified professionals.
Promote Lost Pet Prevention: Create a display featuring ID tags, secure collars, harnesses, and other products that help keep pets safe.
National Black Cat Appreciation Day
Annually on August 17th
All cats are gorgeous, but black cats have this heightened level of sleekness and drama that I find stunning, and many would agree with me. I love black cats, and now that I have thoroughly researched black cat lore, I love them even more!
Did you know that some black cats actually change color in the sunlight? If your black cat has a tabby stripe gene and loves to spend his days lounging in the sun, his fur can turn a rusty brown color. Why? The sun’s rays break down the pigment in their fur to reveal the underlying tabby stripes.
Many cultures revered black cats and saw them as positive omens of good luck.
- In Asia and the U.K., you’re going to be lucky in life if you own a black cat.
- In Japan, you’ll have luck in finding love if you spot a black cat.
- In parts of England, a bride will have luck in her marriage if she receives a black cat as a gift.
- In Europe, sailors will have a safe journey if they bring along a black cat on the ship.
- In Scotland, you can expect prosperity if a black cat appears at your doorway or on your porch.
- In France, something magical is about to happen if you see a black cat.
- In other cultures around the world, it’s a sign of good luck if you dream about a black cat, see one walking towards you, or if you happen to find a stray white hair on its gleaming ebony fur.
Researchers at the National Institutes of Health discovered that the genetic mutations that cause cats to have black coats may offer them some protection from diseases. In fact, the mutations affect the same genes that offer HIV resistance to humans. An upcoming study will likely examine whether black cat breeds are resistant to feline HIV!
How Retailers Can Get Involved:
Showcase Beautiful Black Cats: Invite customers to share photos of their black cats and feature them on your store’s social media pages.
Spotlight Adoptable Black Cats: Partner with local shelters and rescues to introduce your community to black cats looking for loving homes.
Celebrate Black Cat Folklore: Share interesting facts and positive superstitions about black cats from different cultures to help challenge negative stereotypes.
Offer a Little Black Cat Magic: Create a special cat-themed promotion or give customers who share a picture of their black cat a small treat or gift.
International Homeless Animals’ Day
3rd Saturday in August : August 15, 2026
The International Society for Animal Rights introduced International Homeless Animals’ Day to raise awareness about pet overpopulation and has since done meaningful work, including saving the lives of millions of animals.
On this day, you can show your support socially and in your community. This is a great time to talk about your Sharing the Love programs and how your store encourages the adoption of homeless pets in your neighborhood.
Individuals, organizations, and animal-friendly businesses wishing to participate in ISAR’s International Homeless Animals’ Day events can order a complimentary event-planning packet by contacting ISAR via mail, phone, or email. The IHAD event planning packet includes guidelines for organizing a successful awareness event, with tips on site selection, suggestions for speakers, guidance on reaching target audiences, poems and songs, sample press releases, and more!
How Retailers Can Get Involved:
Host an Adoption Awareness Event: Partner with a local shelter or rescue to introduce customers to adoptable pets and educate them about responsible adoption.
Promote Sharing the Love: Highlight your store’s Sharing the Love Adoption Rewards and show customers how your store helps newly adopted pets get a great start in their forever homes.
Organize a Shelter Supply Drive: Work with a local rescue to create a wish list of needed supplies and invite customers to purchase or donate items.
Share Adoption Success Stories: Feature customers and their rescued pets on social media, celebrating the difference adoption makes in the lives of homeless animals.
National Take Your Cat to the Vet Day
Annually on August 22
Proactive healthcare is the best healthcare. Cats are notorious for hiding what ails them, so scheduling regular health checks at the vet is essential. This especially goes for our kittens and seniors.
Cats are mysterious. Did he just pee on my pillow because I offended his delicate sensibilities, or does he have an undiagnosed UTI and was seeking comfort because he was in pain? I have two cats, and I learned that, when in doubt, schedule a health check.
Regular vet trips also help acclimate our cats to these visits, making them far less stressful. Health checks don’t always involve poking and prodding, so they are less likely to associate a vet visit with discomfort – which also alleviates anxiety. My guys know they will get a VERY special treat and that often makes things a whole lot better.
So, what can you offer your customers to help make their cat’s vet visits less stressful? Products like cat pheromone sprays can really help when sprayed onto their bedding and carrier. A comfy and secure carrier also makes a huge difference – the lovable land sharks will benefit from one with a removable top. Treats can also help a cat see a vet and their staff as friends – many vet clinics keep treats in their waiting rooms with this idea in mind, but I find it works best when I bring their FAVORITE treats and offer those to the vet team to give to them. Calming treats can help take the edge off before embarking on a vet visit.
How Retailers Can Get Involved:
Send a Friendly Vet Visit Reminder: Use your Astro Marketing Suite to encourage cat owners to schedule their cats’ routine wellness exams, especially for kittens and senior cats.
Promote Stress-Free Travel Essentials: Feature secure cat carriers, familiar bedding, pheromone sprays, and high-value treats that can help make trips to the veterinarian more comfortable.
Share Tips for Stress-Free Vet Visits: Create educational posts about carrier training, preparing for appointments, and helping nervous cats become more comfortable with travel.
Partner with a Local Veterinary Clinic: Invite a veterinarian or veterinary technician to share preventive care tips and answer general questions about feline wellness.
International Blind Dog Day
Annually on August 23
This awareness holiday was launched in 2017 by Sarah Horne, owner of blind Jack Russell and Instagram star Shampoo “Shammy” Horne. In her own words, she said that Shammy is her world!
Since its inception, this holiday has attracted support from hundreds of blind dog owners, all of whom share stories about their dogs. Dogs never cease to amaze me with their adaptability. They are the ultimate “life gives me lemons, I’m making lemonade” kinda guys.
Sadly, blind dogs are often surrendered to shelters or put down because their owners don’t understand that their lives can still be just as fulfilling as a dog with sight. There are many dog lovers actively working to change this.
18 Helpful Tips for Caring for a Blind Dog on the Care.com blog is bursting with helpful tips for dog owners. Many of these are both simple and insightful, such as “Use scents during activities.” A dog’s sense of smell is between 10Kx and 100Kx stronger than ours, so they can still enjoy playtime if their favorite toy has scent added to it. Another tip they offered is, “Try a new water dish.” Replacing a silent water bowl with a pet fountain not only provides a cleaner water source but also creates a consistently noisy one, making it easier to locate.
Have you ever heard of a blind dog halo? Silvie Bourdeaux created this inspired invention for her blind dog, Muffin. She dubbed her blind dog bumpers Muffin’s Halo. Since she began making them in her home, her functional and whimsical designs have helped over 35,000 blind dogs regain their confidence. Silvie even started a non-profit called Second Chances for Blind Dogs, where supporters can help supply blind dogs in need with their own Muffin’s Halo. I love it! Muffin’s Halo is the perfect guardian for these angels!
How Retailers Can Get Involved:
Share Inspiring Blind Dog Stories: Feature customers and their visually impaired dogs to demonstrate how fulfilling and adventurous life can be for dogs with vision loss.
Highlight Products for Blind Dogs: Showcase scented toys, textured enrichment products, pet fountains, and other items that can help visually impaired dogs navigate and enjoy their surroundings.
Educate Pet Parents: Share practical tips for creating safe, predictable environments for blind dogs, including keeping furniture arrangements consistent and using verbal cues.
Support Blind Dog Rescue: Partner with a rescue specializing in dogs with disabilities or organize a fundraiser for organizations helping blind dogs find loving homes.
National Dog Day
Annually on August 26
Founded in 2004 by Animal Welfare Advocate and Pet Lifestyle Expert, Colleen Paige, National Dog Day celebrates all breeds, mixed and pure, and serves to help galvanize the public to recognize the number of dogs that need to be rescued each year, either from public shelters, rescues, or pure-breed rescues.
National Dog Day honors family dogs and dogs that work selflessly to save lives, keep us safe, and bring comfort. Dogs put their lives on the line every day –
protecting our families and homes, for their law enforcement partner, for their blind companion, for the disabled, for our freedom and safety by detecting bombs and drugs, and helping to locate and rescue victims of accidents and tragedy.
Indulge in some heartwarming, goofy, and adorable moments and check out this video created by Colleen Paige herself. (Whew, ok, I just had to get up and hug my dog! So many emotions. 10 outa of 10 recommend )
How Retailers Can Get Involved:
Celebrate Your Canine Customers: Invite customers to share their favorite dog photos and stories for a National Dog Day social media celebration.
Host a Dog-Friendly Celebration: Organize an in-store event featuring treat samples, product demonstrations, giveaways, or a photo booth for visiting pups.
Support Local Dog Rescues: Partner with a shelter to showcase adoptable dogs and promote your Sharing the Love Adoption Rewards.
Run a National Dog Day Promotion: Feature eligible Astro Offers, highlight Frequent Buyer Programs, or create a special promotion on your customers’ favorite dog products.
Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day
Annually on August 28
The loss of a beloved pet is one of the hardest trials a person can go through. As hard as it is to lose them, we cannot picture our lives without them. And truly, they are not lost when they live so fervently in our memory.
On August 28, 2013, author Deborah Barnes had to say a final goodbye to her cat, Mr. Jazz. Deborah published an emotional book detailing her journey of letting Mr. Jazz go, titled “Purr Prints of the Heart – A Cat’s Tale Of Life, Death and Beyond.”
After the book was released, people reached out to Deborah to share their own stories about the passing of a pet. Deborah realized that others were mirroring her journey and that the death of a pet was a deeply emotional time for many.
So, in honor of Mr. Jazz and for all the readers who were touched by her book, Deborah decided to create Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day as a chance for people across the world to share their stories and memories of pets that they have loved and lost. It was in 2015 that the holiday was first observed, and now each year on August 28, people take time out to remember their pets.
Deborah shared an article on her blog offering advice on how to compassionately support someone dealing with the loss of a pet. She offers valuable insight into a social dilemma often met with unintended indifference because people simply do not know what to say or do.
How Retailers Can Get Involved:
Create a Rainbow Bridge Memorial: Invite customers to contribute photos, names, or heartfelt messages honoring pets who have crossed the Rainbow Bridge. Display their tributes in-store or online.
Share Stories of Beloved Pets: With sensitivity, invite customers and staff to share memories of pets they have loved and lost, celebrating the lasting impact those animals made on their lives.
Support a Cause in Their Memory: Organize a donation drive benefiting a local animal rescue or shelter, allowing customers to make contributions in memory of their beloved companions.
Offer Resources for Grieving Pet Parents: Share information about pet loss support groups, memorial services, and other compassionate resources available in your community.
National Holistic Pet Day
Annually on August 30
As members of the pet health community and advocates of healthy nutrition, enrichment, and fun, we love National Holistic Pet Day! Holistic means “whole”. And for our pets to feel whole, we must consider their mind, body, and spirit. Colleen Paige started National Holistic Pet Day to raise awareness of this integrative approach to pet health that can increase their time on this earth with us.
A holistic approach to well-being is nothing new for humans, and depending on our algorithms, we may have seen a surge of it this past year.
But applying the lifestyle to household pets is still a growing trend. It all starts with the basics of good nutrition, lots of physical exercise, and even mental stimulation. All animals must be mentally active and challenged, or they risk listlessness and boredom. Take some time to learn about caring for your pet with the same generosity you give your own mind, body, and spirit.
Our buddies at Holistic Select have a great article on their blog on the topic of National Holistic Pet Day. There they share 4 Ways to Help Your Pet Live a More Holistic Life – and I plan on trying them all, mainly their tip about dog yoga! “If you practice yoga at home, you know that the minute you roll out your mat, your dogs come running.” – Yup! Every time! Holtisic Pet offers the tip to invite your pet to join you and start your own in-house dog-yoga or cat-yoga studio, just like the trendsetters.
This holiday provides a platform to share your wealth of nutritional, behavioral, and enrichment knowledge with your customers and community.
How Retailers Can Get Involved:
Offer Personalized Nutrition Consultations: Invite customers to discuss their pets’ nutritional needs and explore food options that complement their overall wellness plans.
Host a Holistic Pet Wellness Workshop: Partner with qualified pet wellness professionals to discuss nutrition, exercise, mental enrichment, and preventive veterinary care.
Highlight Whole-Pet Wellness Products: Create displays featuring nutritious foods, enrichment toys, grooming essentials, and other products that support different aspects of a pet’s well-being.
Launch a Whole-Pet Wellness Campaign: Use your Astro Marketing Suite to share educational tips throughout the week, highlighting how proper nutrition, physical activity, mental stimulation, and routine veterinary care work together to support healthy, happy pets.
