There are some national events so important that they deserve not one, but TWO days of recognition. National Mutt Day is on both July 31st and December 2nd every year to celebrate the amazing personalities of mixed-breed canines the world over who make our homes better. Sadly, though, they comprise over 80 percent of pets in animal shelters.
National Mutt Day was originally created by Colleen Paige, a celebrity pet and family lifestyle expert and editor of Pet Home Magazine, specifically because of the insanely high numbers of mixed-breed dogs in animal shelters. She encourages everyone to support the mutts of the world, even if you aren’t in a position to adopt one right now, by donating $5 to your local animal shelter, donating needed items or by volunteering at the shelter.
There are many benefits to adopting a mutt. Shall we count the ways?
- You can come up with a trendy name: It’s all the rage to have a combo name for your dog. Figure out the 15 different breeds in your canine and you’ve got a one-of-kind breed name everyone will drool over. Labshipugapoo, anyone?
- Longer, healthier shelf-life: Typically, mutts live longer because their diverse gene pool gives them better odds of better health. It’s not a guarantee, but in general, it tends to be the case.
- You get to run a DNA test on them*: Nowadays you can do a swab and send off to see what your mutt’s actual lineage really is. True, you could technically do that with a purebred, but you already know what breed they are. This is a bit more fun – it’s a bit of a game to guess what the report is going to say and see who was the closest!
- No other dog looks (or acts) just like yours: Even if they tend to look mostly like one breed, they still have unique features that distinguish them from every other dog out there – they definitely won’t get lost in the crowd!
- You are saving a life: Odds are likely you came about the mutt in your life through a local shelter, and by doing so, you’ve saved a life. Warm, cuddly fuzzies for everyone!
This list really could go on and on, but we won’t take up any more of your time. Go spend your day playing with your mixed breed best friend or take a hour or two to volunteer with your local shelter or donate some kibble that they could surely use – and have a Happy National Mutt’s Day!
*Bonnie did the DNA testing on her sweet pup, Bucuti (pictured above), and this is what it said. She thought he was a lab, or at least a lab mix, but alas that is not the case!
