When is Day of the Dead for pets in 2026?

October 27: the day pets arrive

The date is the same every year: October 27. It does not move like Easter or Thanksgiving. What changes is the weekday:

What time do pets arrive on October 27?

There is no fixed hour. Most families have the pet’s altar ready by the evening of October 26 or the morning of October 27, so that it is waiting whenever they arrive. Many light a candle at dusk on the 27th and say the pet’s name out loud.

If you are late, it is not “too late.” Traditions differ, and many people keep their pet’s ofrenda up through November 2 so their pet can stay with the rest of the family’s visitors.

How October 27 fits with November 1 and 2

Día de los Muertos is not one day but a season of homecomings. In the calendar most people share, each day welcomes a different group of souls, and pets come first. Days and details vary by region and family:

1. October 27 — pets and animals. Dogs, cats, birds, horses and every companion animal.
2. October 28 — sudden deaths. Those who died in accidents or violently.
3. October 29–30 — in some regions. Those who drowned, and the forgotten souls with no one left to remember them.
4. October 31 — in some regions. Babies who died before they could be baptized.
5. November 1 — children. Día de los Angelitos, also Todos Santos (All Saints’ Day).
6. November 2 — adults. Día de los Fieles Difuntos (All Souls’ Day), the main day of the celebration.

Some families simply include their pet on the main family altar from October 31 to November 2. That is a perfectly good way to observe it too.

Why October 27?

No ancient document fixes the date. October 27 grew out of how Día de los Muertos is lived today: as more families began to include their animals, the custom settled on giving pets their own day at the start of the season. The reasons people give are affectionate rather than official — pets were the most loyal members of the family, so they are welcomed first; or they arrive first to guide the rest home, like the Xoloitzcuintli dog of Aztec legend.

It is also not a public holiday in Mexico. Schools and offices are open on October 27. It is observed at home, at family altars and, more and more, in pet shops, vet clinics and parks that set up community ofrendas for animals.

Do pets really come back to visit?

The searches people type tell us how much this matters: do dead pets visit you on October 27, do pets come back on Day of the Dead. The tradition’s answer is yes — on October 27 your pet is invited home, and the ofrenda is how you tell them they are welcome.

You do not need to hold any particular belief to find comfort in it. Filling their bowl, putting out the toy they always carried, and saying their name is a way to give grief somewhere to go. If the day brings up more than you expected, that is normal. The Day of the Dead is meant to make room for both tears and laughter.

How to get ready

• Choose a photo of your pet and print it, even a small one.
• Find a shelf, table or windowsill for the altar.
• Buy or pick a few marigolds (cempasúchil) — or use paper flowers.
• Set out fresh water and a favorite treat or toy.
• Have a candle ready for the evening (an LED candle is safer with living pets).

Our step-by-step pet ofrenda guide covers what each element means, how to lay a marigold path and how to keep living pets safe around the altar.