According to the 2024 APPA National Pet Owners Survey, 82 million U.S. households own a pet. In the past couple of years, the percentage of U.S. households that have multiple pets also continues to increase.1 While many more households are getting their pets from rescue organizations and shelters, there are still a great number being purchased from breeders, pet stores, etc. Rescue organizations continue to get an inflow of pets throughout the year, and eventually, some will no longer have room to take any more in. Due to this, around 1 million pets are euthanized annually.2 Even with that number continuously decreasing each year, it still remains a big problem worldwide. Because of this, Remember Me Thursday® was created.
Now in its twelfth year, the goal of Remember Me Thursday® is to unite individuals and pet adoption organizations worldwide to bring awareness to orphan pets in need of forever homes. Their goal is to raise awareness about shelter pets and some of the misconceptions that come with them. Many people believe that these pets could be there for a reason due to behavioral issues, medical issues, etc. A lot of the time these animals are there for no reason other than their owners. This could be due to financial struggles, moving, deaths, or even abuse and/or neglect situations. While it is true that some pets can have issues due to the cruelty of their owners, it is not their fault that they have become this way. Most of the time, they can overcome these obstacles with patience, love and care. Rescue organizations work hard to make sure each animal is the right fit for your household.
Every fourth Thursday of September, Remember Me Thursday® is celebrated. The goal is to get as many people as possible to shed light on the 1+ million orphan pets who ran out of time and why people should adopt, not shop! The easiest way to participate this year, September 26, 2024, is by sharing on social media and tagging #ShineALight and #RememberMeThursday. You can also make a donation to your local shelter to help out the animals in need there.
You don’t need to raise awareness on just one day of the year. You can celebrate orphan pets all year round by volunteering at your local shelter, continuing to post on social media, encouraging others to adopt, or even adopting your next pet!
Changing just one person’s mind can save a life.
Learn more about Remember Me Thursday® and how you can get involved here.
One powerful tool that allows rescue organizations to bring awareness to their animals is none other than the internet. With social media, influencers, etc., they have reached a larger audience than ever before. PAL is all about how pets bring joy to our lives and we want to encourage more people to get pets, especially ones that need help the most. You can use our Adoption Finder to search for animals that are in need of a home in your area.