Why in news? World Animal Day is an annual event that is celebrated around the world on October 4

Highlights:

History of the day

• Heinrich Zimmermann, a writer and editor of the German publication Man and Dog, came up with the concept
• At a Congress of the International Animal Protection Congress in Florence, Italy, in 1931, his proposal to recognize October 4 as World Animal Day was approved and enacted as a resolution.
• UK-based animal protection organization Naturewatch Foundation introduced an effort to expand the event’s audience.

Significance

• It aims to celebrate animal rights and welfare around the world.
• Day brings together and mobilises the animal protection movement into a global force to make the world a better place for all animals.

Theme – “Big or small, we love them all”.