Hundreds of pet-lovers united at Balboa Park for last year’s Remember Me Thursday candle-lighting ceremony. Photo courtesy Helen Woodward Animal Center.

Calling all pet lovers: Helen Woodward Animal Center, in partnership with Blue Buffalo (and sponsored by Petco Foundation, KONG, Sydnees Pet Grooming, and The Ultimate Pet Health Guide by Dr. Gary Richter), invites San Diego animal-lovers and animal welfare organizations to participate in the 5th Annual Remember Me Thursday at a special candle-lighting event.

On Sept. 28, pet-lovers and animal rescue groups around the world will unite online and at grassroots events to create an unstoppable, integrated voice advocating for orphan pets to live in forever homes, not die waiting for them.

Helen Woodward Animal Center encourages the community to get involved by attending the event at Balboa Park on 6th Avenue (between El Prado and Juniper; near Nate’s Point Dog Park) from 5:45 to 7 p.m.

Remember Me Thursday was established in 2013 by Helen Woodward Animal Center President and CEO Mike Arms.  Moved by the staggering statistic of the 2.7 million homeless pets who lose their lives each year in the U.S., Arms put out a call to rescue organizations in an attempt to create a global awareness campaign.

Now in its fifth year, Remember Me Thursday has been supported by 180 countries with hundreds of thousands of individuals and more than 700 separate animal welfare organizations around the globe holding candle-lighting ceremonies of their own, spreading the message on Social Media, or lighting a virtual candle.

Each year, Remember Me Thursday grows in support with larger numbers of candle-lighting ceremonies and special events being organized around the world, including the San Diego events listed below:

  • Live acoustic music by Maddie Leigh;
  • Kid’s coloring and crafts to commemorate the day;
  • Food for purchase;
  • Giveaways from Blue Buffalo and Kahoots;
  • FREE Remember Me Thursday T-shirts to adults and kids, while supplies last;
  • FREE Remember Me Thursday Bandanas to dogs, while supplies last;
  • An opportunity to write a special message on the 2017 Remember MeThursday Banner;
  • An opportunity to donate a bag of unopened dog or cat food to Helen Woodward Animal Center’s AniMeals program; and much more.
    For more information, contact PR and Communications Director Jessica Gercke at(858) 756-4117 x 335 or jessicag@animalcenter.org.