National Dress Up Your Pet Day - Maya

Maya G. / 2025-01-14

You probably weren’t aware, but January 14th is National Dress Up Your Pet Day. It may sound a bit silly, but I think we need something uplifting ever so often, especially when things are tumultuous in the world—which they usually are. The origins of this day are just as wholesome as you might imagine: in 2009, Colleen Paige, a celebrity pet lifestyle expert, created the day originally with the intention to get more pets adopted. She theorised that if they’re dressed up all cutesy, it would endear the pets to future owners, and she was right! Every year, dozens of animals get adopted due to National Dress Up Your Pet Day, but that isn’t the only reason to celebrate it. Even if you don’t have a pet you’re hoping to get adopted, you can absolutely still dress up your furry friend! Colleen Paige also said that it’s important to have a day specifically to celebrate your pet, in order to encourage bonding and make sure that you aren’t neglecting them. That being said, it’s vital to remember that the costume you choose has to be safe and comfortable for your pet—you should both be having fun, after all! Anyways, I celebrated January 14th this year with my cat Missy, pictured below! She doesn’t mind having small objects on her head, but I’m guessing anything bigger would overwhelm her, so a tiny Santa hat it is!