Seeing the World Through Their Eyes on World Animal Day 2026
This year’s World Animal Day invited everyone to “See the World Through Their Eyes”, and people around the world definitely answered that call! From shelters and schools, to sports and even parliaments, 61 events were registered to our website this year. Online, the conversation reached millions. Here’s a look at how the day unfolded.
Ambassadors in Action
Some of the most inspiring celebrations came from our trusty, hardworking ambassadors, who found a variety of ways to make the day count.
In Romania, Claudio Iosim of Animed Arad laced up his trainers and ran a half marathon relay with his partner, proving that you can speak up for animals one stride at a time.
Over in Rwanda, Dr John Claude and the team at RAWO had a busy day on the road. They visited a farm to talk about animal welfare, then headed to another district to meet students at a veterinary school to spread the word of World Animal Day and vaccinate dogs against rabies.
Close by in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Paterne Bushunju of Sauvons Nos Animaux spent the day at the Haven of Peace shelter in Bukavu with the Young Friends of Animals Club. The children talked about the importance of respecting, protecting and loving animals, then sat down to share a meal together. Flags around the city reminded everyone that kindness to animals helps build a more humane society.
Finally, across the Atlantic in Brazil, Rosangela Gebara of the Ampara Animal Institutes unveiled a new animation NAME, teaching children about the importance of responsible pet ownership, handing out books to more than 100 local schoolchildren.
The celebrations weren’t limited to the grassroots. In Belgium, Pet Alliance Europe marked the day with their annual #PetPower Night, bringing together over 100 guests including Members of the European Parliament, European Commission and Council officials, and animal welfare organisations to celebrate “animals that heal”.
Back in the UK, here at World Animal Day HQ, Naturewatch Foundation, we swapped our office for Pittville Park in Cheltenham, joining hundreds of local runners at “parkrun”. Volunteers and runners donated pet food as part of our annual Donate a Dinner campaign, which encourages people across the UK to support local animal rescue centres. Everything we collected went to Tackles Animal Sanctuaries and Cheltenham Animal Shelter. Read more here!
The Conversation Goes Global
Of course, our celebrations didn’t stop at the gates of parkrun. Online, World Animal Day brought people together from every corner of the globe:
- 33 million people were reached
- There were 19,000 mentions of World Animal Day
Some big names joined in, too. National Geographic India shared a message of kindness, empathy and hope for the animals we share our world with. The Jane Goodall Institute introduced some of the personalities living at its Tchimpouga sanctuary in the Republic of the Congo. We met Kefan the chimpanzee, Kivuli the playful sniffer dog, and ZZ the young, shy gorilla. It was a powerful reminder that all animals are individuals with their own personalities and needs. FOUR PAWS echoes that message, highlighting animal sentience and the fact that animals deserve more and simply survival.
Closer to home, Naturewatch Foundation patrons Ben the Vet and Dan Richardson encouraged their followers to “donate a dinner” to a local rescue. And, in a lovely nod to this year’s theme, George the Stourbridge Station Cat, a famous ginger cat with more than 40k followers, shared a poem. His message was simple: animals don’t care about our jobs, homes or bank balances. They know kindness, safety and love.
The Next Generation Steps Up
It was just as heartening to see the youngest generation get involved globally, Schools, nurseries and universities joined the celebrations, from Knockhill Primary School, where children enjoyed an animal-themed assembly, quizzes and activities around this years theme, to Forest Oasis Nursery, where little ones were encouraged to notice, observe and connect with the wildlife around them. Moments like these help young people to build empathy and respect for the natural world, which is exactly the mission of World Animal Day.
Until Next Year
From global conservation organisations to individual animal lovers, the message was clear: World Animal Day is a chance each year to pause, see the world from an animal’s perspective, and think about how we can make it a kinder place for every animal.
Thank you to everyone who took part. We can’t wait for next year!