National Dog Day, founded in 2004 by Colleen Paige, is a day to celebrate and raise awareness about dogs in shelters. The day was originally intended to draw attention to the number of dogs waiting in shelters and to honor working dogs.

The Real Meaning of National Dog Day

While the day has become a popular social media trend, with many people sharing photos of their dogs, the underlying mission of the day is to raise awareness about the number of dogs in shelters. According to Shelter Animals Count, roughly 5.8 million dogs and cats entered U.S. shelters and rescues in 2025, with about 2.8 million of them being dogs.

Despite the fact that euthanasia rates in shelters have dropped, the number of dogs in shelters remains high. In particular, large dogs are being left behind, with adoptions of small dogs rising 6% in the first half of 2025, while adoptions of large dogs fell 9%.

There are several ways to celebrate National Dog Day, including upgrading your dog’s dinner, taking them on a special walk, and giving your local shelter something they need. You can also consider fostering or adopting a dog, particularly a large dog, which are often overlooked.

By celebrating National Dog Day, we can raise awareness about the importance of adopting dogs from shelters and supporting local animal welfare organizations.

Original reporting: KTVZ (Central Oregon) — read the source article.