Today is a special day for animal lovers out there, the fur-parents of the world, and those who devote their time, talent, and treasure to protect animals of different shapes, sizes, and segments. Oct. 4 is World Animal Day, celebrated in time of the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of ecology and animals. First organized in 1925 in Germany, the tradition continues with more than a hundred events held all over the world today to celebrate the role of animals in our lives. A group behind World Animal Day, based in the UK and sponsored by the Nature Watch Foundation, shared to the world that the theme this 2022 is “Shared Planet,” as “we share this earth with all living things, we can truly make a difference for all animals.” World Animal Day is not only a celebration per se. More than that, it is a call, a campaign, and a global movement to raise the status of animals in order to improve welfare standards around the world. It is a sad reality that even in this modern era, animal abuse and neglect plus man’s destructive practices done to their natural habitats are still rampant, leading to the projected extinction of some species in the coming years. The group calls on everyone – government, NGOs, communities, youth and children’s clubs, businesses, and even celebrities – to embrace all animals and the unique concerns of each in every country. “It’s something that everyone can join in regardless of nationality, religion, faith, or political ideology. World Animal Day belongs to everyone!” In the country, the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) is one of the staunchest allies of animals, leading in the promotion of animal welfare and the protection of all animals. As an advanced celebration of World Animal Day, PAWS held last Sunday a pet blessing at the SM Mall of Asia, a return to a physical event after two years of virtual pet blessing events. Part of PAWS’ call to love animals is also to extend the love to shelter animals, those that were neglected or left abandoned by their previous owners. The call to “Adopt, Don’t Shop” highlights the importance for these shelter animals to find their “fur-ever” homes. Aside from PAWS, there are a lot of groups and private organizations who are continuously providing a roof to these neglected animals. They say that when we adopt a pet from a shelter, we help free up another space for a homeless, abandoned, or stray animal. Animals have, for generations, not only provided companionship to humans, but also immense joy and delight. All of us, whether we live with a pet or not, should be conscious enough to make this world a fairer place for animals. As in the end, we are but stewards of the creations of God, as demonstrated in Psalm 50, verses 10 and 11: “For every beast of the forest is Mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is Mine.” May World Animal Day serve as a reminder how animals have enriched our lives and how we treat them reveals more of who we are than a thousand words we say.