Every October 4th, we celebrate the animals that accompany us, those with whom we have the closest and most strong connection. And that's fine, they are part of the family, but this day wasn't created just for them.
World Animal Day emerged some time ago to talk about respect, protection, and welfare for animals. all speciesThose that are close to us and those that we don't see often or will see in some documentary... and we might never even see them.
Ultimately, we share the world with them. There are those that live deep in the forests, in rivers, in the sea, in the mountains. Farm animals, wild animals, aquatic animals… they all share the same planet with us, although we don't even know that many of them exist.
Protecting them goes beyond simply not mistreating them. It means caring for the places where they live, their habitats, and understanding that a species doesn't disappear overnight, that our actions are decisive for better or for worse. Little by little, without noticing, one day, they're gone.
This year, the Animal Protection Association, Aproa, invites the public to participate in the blessing of pets this October 4th at 10 a.m. at the courts on Av. Facultad in Los Chaguaramos, dedicated this year to the furry friends of La Guaira.
It all started in Berlin, and on another date
Few people know this, but the first celebration was not on October 4th.
Heinrich Zimmermann, journalist, writer, editor, and animal rights activist, organized a day of action on March 24, 1925, at the Berlin Sports Palace. More than 5.000 people gathered with one central idea: to raise awareness about respect for and the well-being of animals.
He wanted to do it in October, but the venue wasn't available that day, and finding a place that would bring together a crowd of activists and animal lovers was complicated, so he preferred to move it to March.
After four years, in 1929, he finally succeeded, and the large gathering took place on October 4th, just as he had planned from the beginning. Then, in May 1931, at an international congress of animal protection organizations in Florence, Italy, it was approved that this would be the world day dedicated to animals.
And why October 4th?
It's not a day chosen at random; it's the feast day of Saint Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and ecology. His figure has always been linked to respect for nature, so the date ended up becoming a symbol of commitment and respect for other species.
It didn't start as a nice day to remember and honor animals on the calendar. Zimmermann wanted animal welfare to be discussed publicly, for people to do something, for responsible actions to be taken, and for commitments to be made to protect animals.
The help goes beyond those we know
We talk about animal welfare and the first thing that comes to mind is dogs and cats, that's fine, they are the ones we see every day, but there are many other species, as well as their ecosystems and in any case, it is necessary to take care of their ecosystems.
One of the biggest threats to biodiversity is the destruction of habitats; agriculture, livestock farming, and other human activities are shrinking and changing the spaces where many other animals live, who also have a right to life.
If we add up fires, floods, and severe weather, plus our direct and indirect actions, nature... The result is a change in the environment. All actions have consequences.
No longer seeing an animal doesn't mean the problem is over; one species depends on another in one way or another. Humans have become experts at disrupting the balance, which is why our actions, environmental impact studies—every action, good or bad, conscious or unconscious—will trigger a consequence, positive or negative.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature has very strict criteria for declaring a species extinct. Sufficient evidence is required to prove that not a single individual remains alive, and for this reason, many years can pass without anyone seeing an animal before it is declared extinct.
There are species that were thought to be lost and have reappeared. The Vietnamese mouse-deer, for example, was rediscovered In 2019, after decades without a single confirmed sighting. How many more are out there that we haven't seen yet?
We have ours here too.
You don't have to go far to find species that depend on someone taking care of them; in Venezuela we have several, and some are in a rather delicate situation.
The Orinoco crocodile, for example, was hunted relentlessly for its skin for much of the last century, and today it is critically endangered, with conservation programs in which human intervention has been key. They are bred in captivity and then released into their natural habitat. It is a slow process, taking years, but thanks to this, there are still crocodiles in the Orinoco and its tributaries.
The arrau turtle, a case similar to that of the Orinoco crocodile, has its nests protected and thousands of hatchlings released each year on the Orinoco beaches. Without this effort, egg poaching and hunting would have already wiped it out.
The red siskin, that little red and black bird that's a national symbol, has been captured for decades to be sold and crossbred with canaries, and today very few remain in the wild. Protecting the places where it still lives and stopping the trafficking is the only way to save it. That's why the call is always to not buy animals, and especially not wild animals. If there are no customers, there will be no sellers.
In the Andes we have the spectacled bear, the only bear in South America. It has less and less forest and when it comes down to look for food near the crops, the conflict begins; people attack it out of fear.
There are many more endangered animals in Venezuela; the list is much longer, this is just a sample, and human intervention is a major factor in both improving and worsening conditions. Good intentions alone are not enough. It's pointless to conserve birds if we cut down all the trees or pollute the rivers and seas.
This also applies to us.
October 4th can be a good time to reflect on how we're relating to them. If you have a dog or a cat, that's responsible pet ownership: food, veterinary care, not abandoning them, and understanding that having a pet is a commitment that doesn't end when the initial excitement fades and the dog or cat grows up.
With wildlife, it's a different story, but just as important. A wild animal doesn't have to be your pet to show you care. A red siskin in a cage isn't protected; it's imprisoned. Its ideal environment is freedom, not your home, not a cage.
With endangered species, the task is to protect their habitats and support those who research and work to ensure that these populations are not lost; these conservation programs require a lot of support that takes years of research and work.
October 4th is World Animal Day, a day to raise awareness and demand respect and care for all animals. This commitment extends beyond animals; it also means caring for and preserving the environment—the sea, land, rivers, trees, and mountains—because it is our shared home. If they are well, we are well too.
