National Pet Rock Day

National Pet Rock Day is an unusual, slightly strange day on the calendar. What do you know about pets? September 4 is a day dedicated to a pet that only brave, creative people can own. We’re talking about stones as pets.

History

The Pet Rock is the creation of advertising executive Gary Dahl. In the spring of 1975, he introduced his pet, a small, smooth stone. Since then, millions of people have acquired such pets because they are completely undemanding—you don’t need to walk them, take them to the veterinarian, or feed them. Most importantly, stones never die. The first stone, which Dahl presented as his pet, was sold with its own house—a box with air holes. By the way, this box was quite expensive.

Interesting Facts

• Gary Dahl came up with the idea of keeping a stone as a pet after many friends complained about the difficulties associated with caring for traditional pets.
• Eventually, Gary prepared instructions for caring for a pet rock. The document demonstrated the author’s amazing sense of humor.
• The pet rock craze was intense but short-lived, partly because they were quite expensive at $4 each, equivalent to about $18 today.

How to take part

Listen to a song written by country artist Bill Pineo, dedicated to his son who adored his pet rock. Read about these unusual pets and try to find fun instructions for raising them. Create your own low-maintenance pet, complete with its own house. By the way, hundreds of these stones are still being sold on the internet. If your friends share a passion for inanimate stones, throw a party where all the guests can introduce their pets to each other.

When is National Pet Rock Day in 2024?

National Pet Rock Day is observed on the first Sunday of September each year.

Observations