World Animal Day 2020: All you need to know

Team Udayavani, Oct 4, 2020, 2:00 PM IST

World Animal Day is celebrated annually on October 4th. The day has become an international celebration for animal rights and welfare

It is also known as “Animal Lovers Day” because the day is very significant in terms of caring, protecting, and spreading awareness through the support and involvement of individuals, groups and organisations that care for and love animals

As reported by India Today, It is also the Feast Day of St Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals. Heinrich Zimmermann organized the first celebration in 1925 in Berlin, Germany. He launched the event to raise awareness and improve the welfare of animals. More than 5000 people showed up and showed their support in the first event.

In the year 2003, Naturewatch Foundation, a UK-based animal welfare charity launched the first World Animal Day website.

Every year various activities were organised all over the world such as the launching of animal welfare campaigns, opening of rescue shelters for the animals. But this year due to the pandemic most of the activities have been cancelled.