World Animal Day has promoted animal welfare since 1925

Oct. 4 (UPI) -- World Animal Day, an annual day of action for animal welfare on Oct. 4, was founded by a German writer in 1925.

Heinrich Zimmermann, a German writer and animal lover, founded World Animal Day on March 24, 1925, and the holiday was moved to Oct. 4 in 1929 to coincide with the Catholic Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of ecology who was said to have preached to animals.

The holiday was originally celebrated by Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Czechoslovakia, and was adopted by the International Animal Protection Congress in Italy in 1931.

The modern World Animal Day is a day of action featuring pet adoption events, educational seminars and spay and neuter clinics.

Other holidays and observances for Oct. 4, 2022, include Dick Tracy Day, eDay, Improve Your Office Day, International Toot Your Flute Day, Cinnamon Bun Day, National Fruit at Work Day, National Golf Day, National Ship in a Bottle Day, National Taco Day, National Vodka Day and Ten-Four Day.