Day of the Dead for pets is 27 October. Today, basically. It comes a few days ahead of the big Día de Muertos nights (1 and 2 November), and it’s when people put together a little ofrenda, an altar, for the dogs and cats and hamsters they’ve lost. Photo, bowl of water, the treat they went crazy for, some marigolds, a candle. The belief is that tonight the animals come home first, just for a visit. If your feed is full of dog photos surrounded by orange flowers today, that’s why.
It’s a gentle tradition, and a pretty new one in its current form. Below you’ll find where it comes from, what goes on a pet ofrenda and why, and a few safety points if you’ve got living pets sniffing around the altar.
Day of the Dead for Pets at a Glance
- Date: 27 October, every year
- Part of: the wider Día de Muertos season (main days 1 and 2 November)
- What people do: build a small altar, an ofrenda, for pets that have died
- Classic items: photo, water, favorite food or treat, toy or collar, marigolds, candles
- Official holiday? No. It’s a popular custom, mostly spread by pet lovers and shelters
What Is Day of the Dead for Pets?
Día de Muertos itself is old. Very old. It grew out of Indigenous Mesoamerican traditions, and later got mixed with Catholic feast days brought over by the Spanish. The point was never really sadness. It’s about keeping a relationship going with the people you’ve lost, inviting them home for a night, feeding them, telling their stories.
Pets slotting into that is a newer thing. The Toronto Humane Society calls 27 October a day dedicated to the spirits of our animal companions, and Philadelphia Inquirer coverage from 2025 described it as a new tradition tied to Day of the Dead, with community altars that now include a section just for pets.
A lot of people find the date on social media first. And to be fair, that’s how most of us met it.
Where Did the 27 October Date Come From?
Nobody hands out an official calendar for this, so you’ll see a few different stories. One that comes up a lot: according to reporting cited by Upworthy, a pet funeral home suggested back in 2019 that animals should get their own day of remembrance, and pet lovers ran with it.
There’s also an older belief behind it. In some families, the dead don’t all come back on the same night. Different days are set aside for different souls, and animals (in many versions) arrive first, on the 27th. Then come other groups through the end of October, with children on 1 November and adults on 2 November.
So is it “traditional”? Sort of. The pet altar part is new as a big public thing. The feeling under it is not.
The Xolo Legend: Dogs as Guides for Souls
You can’t talk about dogs and Day of the Dead without the Xoloitzcuintli. The Xolo is the hairless dog of Mexico, and in Aztec belief dogs were sacred guides for souls. The story goes that a dog helped the dead cross a river on the long journey into Mictlan, the underworld.
If that sounds familiar, you’ve probably seen Coco. Dante, the scruffy sidekick in the film, is a Xolo, and that’s no accident. It’s also a big reason the song from the movie is all over pet memorial videos this week.
Treat it as folklore, of course. But it’s a lovely bit of folklore, and it explains why dogs in particular feel so at home in this holiday.
Day of the Dead for Pets Altar: How to Make a Pet Ofrenda
You don’t need much space. A shelf works. A corner of a dresser. Some people put it near the spot where their pet used to nap, which is a nice touch.
So what goes on it? This is the usual lineup, plus why each thing’s there.
| Item | What it means | Easy option |
|---|---|---|
| Photo | The centre of the altar, shows who you’re inviting | A printed phone photo, or a drawing |
| Water | They’re thirsty after a long trip | Their old water bowl |
| Food or treats | A welcome home snack | Their favorite biscuit or kibble |
| Toy, collar or tag | Something that’s “theirs” | The squeaky toy they wrecked |
| Marigolds (cempasúchil) | Colour and scent to guide them back | Fresh flowers or paper ones |
| Candles | Light to show the way home | LED candles if pets are around |
| Their name | Saying or writing it keeps the memory alive | A card, or chalk on a little board |
Other things people add: a bit of fur kept from grooming, a paw print, a lead, a blanket. Operation Kindness, a Texas shelter, also suggests their food or water bowl, favorite blanket and favorite treat. There’s no wrong answer. Reminds you of them? Then it goes on.
A simple step by step
- Find a spot that’s quiet and won’t get bumped every five minutes.
- Lay down a cloth. Bright ones are the classic look. Grandma’s tablecloth is fine too.
- Photo goes in the middle. Stick a shoebox under the cloth if you want it higher.
- Add the water and the treat in front.
- Toy, collar, tag around the sides.
- Marigolds last, a few petals scattered towards the altar make a “path”.
- Light the candle, or switch on the LED one, and say their name.
That last step is the part people tend to remember. It’s a small thing. It doesn’t feel small.
Keep Your Living Pets Safe Around the Altar
Here’s the bit nobody puts in the pretty Instagram posts. If you’re doing Day of the Dead for pets with living animals in the house, an altar at nose height full of treats and flowers is a buffet.
- Candles. A happy tail sweeps a table in one go, and cats will sniff a flame till their whiskers singe. LED ones are the safe bet. Real candles? Up high, and blown out when you leave the room.
- Chocolate and sugar skulls. Plenty of family altars have sweets on them. Chocolate is toxic to dogs and cats, and some sugar-free candy has xylitol, which is very dangerous for dogs.
- Pan de muerto and bakery stuff. Not toxic in itself usually, but check for raisins or chocolate, and a whole loaf stolen off the table won’t sit well.
- Marigolds. Not a huge worry. A dog that munches a few might get a grumbly stomach, maybe itchy skin. Still, out of reach.
- Small things. Tags, beads, little ornaments, all chokable.
Easiest fix? Build the altar on a high shelf, or in a room the pets can’t get into. Our Halloween pet safety guide covers the candy side of things too, since it’s the same week.
If you think your pet ate chocolate or anything with xylitol, call your vet or a pet poison line straight away. Don’t wait for signs.
Other Ways to Mark Day of the Dead for Pets
Not everyone wants an altar, and that’s fine. A few other ideas people use:
- Light one candle (or LED) next to their photo and leave it at that.
- Go for their favorite walk. The same route, the same bench.
- Write them a short letter. Weird at first, then surprisingly good.
- Donate food, blankets or a bit of money to a local shelter in their name.
- Share a photo and their story online with #DayOfTheDeadForPets.
- Plant something. Marigolds come back easily, so do a lot of bulbs.
- Visit a community ofrenda if your town has one. Many cities now set up public altars where you can add a photo.
Kids often like the altar idea a lot, by the way. Drawing the pet, choosing the toy, putting the water down. It gives them something to do with the feeling, which is half the battle.
When the Loss Is Still Fresh
If your pet died recently, this day can sting. Or it can help. Sometimes both in the same ten minutes.
The nice thing about Día de Muertos is that it doesn’t ask you to “move on”. It assumes the bond is still there, and gives you a night to just enjoy remembering. Laugh at the time they ate the birthday cake. Cry a bit. Both are allowed.
Weeks go by and it still feels like a brick on your chest? Pet loss helplines exist, lots of vet schools and shelters run them. People who’ve been there won’t think you’re silly for missing a dog this much.
Day of the Dead for Pets FAQ
When is Day of the Dead for pets?
The 27th of October. Same date each year, just ahead of 1 and 2 November.
Is it an official holiday in Mexico?
No. It isn’t an official holiday anywhere. It’s a custom that’s grown fast over the last several years, helped along by shelters, pet businesses and social media.
What goes on a pet altar?
Start with their picture and a bowl of water. Then whatever was theirs. The treat, the chewed-up toy, the collar, flowers, a light. A clipping of fur or a paw print if you kept one.
When do I take it down?
Lots of families keep it until 2 November, the end of Día de Muertos. Take the food away sooner if you’ve got pets or pests around though.
Can marigolds hurt my dog or cat?
Usually not badly. A chew on them might mean a bit of tummy trouble or red skin. Put the vase somewhere high and forget about it.
Why do dogs show up so much in Day of the Dead stuff?
Old Aztec stories had a dog walking the dead to the underworld. That dog’s usually the Xolo, Mexico’s bald little legend. Yep, the Coco one.
A Small Light for Them
Not from Mexico? Don’t know all the rules? Doesn’t matter much. Light something for the pet you loved, be respectful about where it comes from, keep the flame away from the cat. That’s plenty.
Who are you setting a place for this year? Tell us their name in the comments, we’d love to hear about them. And if there’s a cat still very much alive at your place, here’s how to spoil them on National Cat Day this Thursday.
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