Remember Me Thursday

Remember Me Thursday, observed on September 24, shines a light on the many loving animals waiting in shelters and foster homes for families of their own. The observance encourages people to remember pets who are often overlooked and to celebrate the joy, companionship, and second chances that adoption can bring.

On this day, animal lovers can help spread awareness by sharing adoption stories, learning about local shelters, volunteering, donating, or considering adoption when welcoming a pet into the family. Some participants also light a candle in remembrance of animals who never found homes, creating a heartfelt reminder that every pet deserves to be seen, valued, and remembered.

Remember Me Thursday was established in 2013 by Helen Woodward Animal Center, an animal welfare organization based in California. The observance was created to draw public attention to companion animals living in shelters and to honor those whose lives ended without being adopted. Its central message is that shelter animals should be remembered and considered when people are looking to adopt, rather than being overlooked in favor of animals obtained through other channels.

Observed on September 24, Remember Me Thursday combines remembrance with advocacy. Supporters commonly light candles, share photographs and stories of shelter animals, and use social media to encourage adoption and responsible pet ownership. The candle-lighting tradition represents the animals who are waiting for homes as well as those who were never given the opportunity to find one. The campaign also promotes the idea that a single act of adoption can have a wider effect by opening shelter space and encouraging others to consider rescue animals.

Over time, the observance developed from an initiative associated with one animal welfare organization into an international awareness campaign involving shelters, rescue groups, veterinary professionals, celebrities, and individual pet owners. Online participation, particularly through the hashtag **#RememberMeThursday**, helped organizations share adoption information and broaden the campaign’s reach. Rather than functioning as a legal holiday, it has remained an awareness day centered on public education, memorialization, and practical support for animal welfare.

Culturally, Remember Me Thursday reflects the growing visibility of animal rescue and adoption in public life. It gives communities an annual opportunity to acknowledge the scale of shelter-animal homelessness while celebrating animals that have found permanent homes. By linking remembrance with action—such as adopting, fostering, volunteering, donating, or promoting spaying and neutering—the observance seeks to turn compassion into long-term support for shelters and rescue organizations.