World Animal Day 2023: Theme, History And All You Need To Know

Every year World Animal Day is observed globally on October 4 with an aim to celebrate animal rights and welfare around the world. This day unites the animal welfare movement, mobilising into a global force to make the world better for all animals. It offers everyone a chance to make a difference and bring awareness to any type of animal that shares our planet. 

Theme of World Animal Day 2023 

On World Animal Day, animal lovers unite to educate others and advocate for action against animal cruelty, neglect and any unfair treatment of animals. According to the official website, this year's theme is "Great or Small, Love Them All". With this theme, the goal is to bring to light the importance of all beings, great and small, and allow the opportunity for even the most overlooked animals to be appreciated for what and who they are. 

"Whether it's our beloved companions at home or the wild animals we admire from afar, animals of all shapes and sizes play a critical role in our lives. They bring us joy, comfort, and companionship, and they remind us of the interconnectedness of all living things," the official website read. 

"This year, we want to highlight the ways in which we can show our love and appreciation for animals, both big and small," it added. 

History of World Animal Day

World Animal Day has been marked since 1925. According to World Animal Protection, it was started by Heinrich Zimmermann, a cynologist, who organised the first celebration at the Sports Palace in Berlin, which was reportedly attended by over 5,000 people. He dedicated countless hours to advancing World Animal Day, and in 1931, his proposal to officially celebrate October 4 as World Animal Day was approved and enacted as a resolution. 

To further expand the reach of this event, in 2003, the UK-based animal welfare charity, Naturewatch Foundation, introduced the World Animal Day website. This initiative aimed to connect with and involve even more people in the cause.